20220329004419I

Incident · No damage

FAA incident report · Beech B200 · Odessa, TX · March 29, 2022

Date: March 29, 2022 · 18:45 local
Place: Odessa, TX
Airport: Odessa-Schlemeyer Fld
Phase of flight: Descent
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: No damage
Aircraft: N469SL
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN22LA166
Reported as: Beech B200
Reported engine: U/A Canada PT6A series
People aboard: 5
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 4,300 total

N469SLRegistered now · Beech B200S/N BB-1036 · Built 1982 Airframe modelBeech B200 Engine modelU/A Canada PT6A seriesTurbo-prop

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.

-The PIC anticipated a turbulent flight and advised the passengers to remain seated with their seatbelts fastened for duration of the flight.

-The fasten seat belt sign was on the entire flight.

-Unbeknownst to the PIC, one passenger did not have his seat belt fastened.

-During the descent for approach, the PIC cycled the seat belt sign to activate the audible bell and verbally reminded the passengers to check that their seat belts were fastened.

-N469SL was descending to 5,000MSL direct to jemby for the RNAV rwy 29 when severe turbulence was encountered.

-The turbulence was very brief. The PIC described the duration as just one bump.

-As the turbulence was encountered, the injured passenger was attempting to fasten his seat belt. The passenger was thrown up and hit his head hard enough to fracture his C-1 vertebra.

-The remainder of the flight was uneventful.

-No damage to N469SL was found during post flight visual inspections by PIC and maintenance personnel.

As the FAA filed it

-THE PIC ANTICIPATED A TURBULENT FLIGHT AND ADVISED THE PASSENGERS TO REMAIN SEATED WITH THEIR SEATBELTS FASTENED FOR DURATION OF THE FLIGHT.

-THE FASTEN SEAT BELT SIGN WAS ON THE ENTIRE FLIGHT.

-UNBEKNOWNST TO THE PIC, ONE PASSENGER DID NOT HAVE HIS SEAT BELT FASTENED.

-DURING THE DESCENT FOR APPROACH, THE PIC CYCLED THE SEAT BELT SIGN TO ACTIVATE THE AUDIBLE BELL AND VERBALLY REMINDED THE PASSENGERS TO CHECK THAT THEIR SEAT BELTS WERE FASTENED.

-N469SL WAS DESCENDING TO 5,000MSL DIRECT TO JEMBY FOR THE RNAV RWY 29 WHEN SEVERE TURBULENCE WAS ENCOUNTERED.

-THE TURBULENCE WAS VERY BRIEF. THE PIC DESCRIBED THE DURATION AS JUST ONE BUMP.

-AS THE TURBULENCE WAS ENCOUNTERED, THE INJURED PASSENGER WAS ATTEMPTING TO FASTEN HIS SEAT BELT. THE PASSENGER WAS THROWN UP AND HIT HIS HEAD HARD ENOUGH TO FRACTURE HIS C-1 VERTEBRA.

-THE REMAINDER OF THE FLIGHT WAS UNEVENTFUL.

-NO DAMAGE TO N469SL WAS FOUND DURING POST FLIGHT VISUAL INSPECTIONS BY PIC AND MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CEN22LA166Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportOdessa, TXThe airplane’s encounter with severe clear air turbulence that was not forecasted, which resulted in a serious injury to an unrestrained passenger.Mar 29, 2022 · No damage