20021103032019I

Incident

FAA incident report · Airbus A340311 · November 3, 2002

Date: November 3, 2002 · 18:49 local
Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
Operating rules: Foreign air carrier (Part 129)
Operator: CNFF
Aircraft: UNKNOWN
Reported as: Airbus A340311
Fatal injuries: 0

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) Investigation revealed that air france (AFR3661) departed prinses juliana st. maarten and was enroute to charles degaulle, when they encountered severe turbulence in oceanic airspace, at 32N 50W. The pilot-in-command (PIC) reported an altitude gain of 1300 feet, due to cumulonimbus that was not detected by weather radar. No separation conflict or noncompliance existed at the time. The PIC reported that one cabin crew member was injured but no medical assistance was needed. The PIC reported that there was no known aircraft damage and they were not declaring an emergency. Afr 3661 continue on course without further incident.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT AIR FRANCE (AFR3661) DEPARTED PRINSES JULIANA ST. MAARTEN AND WAS ENROUTE TO CHARLES DEGAULLE, WHEN THEY ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURBULENCE IN OCEANIC AIRSPACE, AT 32N 50W. THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND (PIC) REPORTED AN ALTITUDE GAIN OF 1300 FEET, DUE TO CUMULONIMBUS THAT WAS NOT DETECTED BY WEATHER RADAR. NO SEPARATION CONFLICT OR NONCOMPLIANCE EXISTED AT THE TIME. THE PIC REPORTED THAT ONE CABIN CREW MEMBER WAS INJURED BUT NO MEDICAL ASSISTANCE WAS NEEDED. THE PIC REPORTED THAT THERE WAS NO KNOWN AIRCRAFT DAMAGE AND THEY WERE NOT DECLARING AN EMERGENCY. AFR 3661 CONTINUE ON COURSE WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.