# NTSB ATL87LA046: Boeing 737-300, N369AU, Dublin, VA, December 23, 1986

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: December 22, 1986, 21:05 local (Dec 23, 1986, 02:05 UTC)
- Place: Dublin, VA
- Location: 37.1055° N, 80.6897° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Dublin, VA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.1055&lon=-80.6897&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious, 4 minor, 131 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Safety recommendations: Yes
- NTSB case key (mKey): 7360
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL87LA046
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/7360/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL87LA046

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- In flight encounter with weather, descent
  - meteorological service - inadequate (contributing factor)
  - procedure inadequate, faa(other/organization) (contributing factor)
  - seat belt sign - selected
  - weather condition - turbulence,clear air (cause)
  - seat belt - not used, flight attendant

## Analysis

WHILE CLBG TO FL 350, USAIR FLT 95 ENCTRD CONT 'LIGHT CHOP,' SO CREW LVLD AT FL 310 & LEFT THE SEAT BELT SIGN ON. THEY INQUIRED ABOUT TURBC AHEAD & WERE ADZD OF RPRTD LGT/MOD CHOP & 1 ENCTR WITH SVR TURBC AT FL260. CLNC WAS RCVD TO DSCND TO FL 240. DRG DSCNT, THE ACFT ENCTRD SEVERE TURBC. THE CAPT DECLARED AN EMERG & THE DSCNT WAS CONTD TO FL 200. THE CAPTNOTED TURBC LASTED APRX 1.5 MIN BTN FL 270 & FL 210. THERE WERE NO CLDS; THE VIS (AT NGT) WAS UNLIMITED. THE FLT ATTEND-ANTS WERE UNRESTRAINED; 1 WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED & 3 RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. A SIGMET WAS IN EFFECT WHICH FORCAST MOD TOOCLNLY SEVERE TURBC BTN FL 240 & FL 350 IN AN AREA WEST OF THE ACFT'S FLT PATH. INV SHOWED AN INCONSISTENCY IN THE DIS- SEMINATION OF CENTER WX ADVISORIES (CWA'S) & SIGMETS. ALTHO CWA'S & SIGMETS HAD THE SAME LVL OF PRIORITY FOR ATC & FSS USE, CWA'S WERE NOT DISSEMINATED OVR 604 & 135 WX CIRCUITS. USAIR RECEIVED WX INFO VIA FAA'S 604 & 135 CIRCUITS, SO DID NOT HAVE CWA INFO FOR WX BRIEFINGS. WX STUDY SHOWED TURBC WAS ENCTRD WHERE SUBTROPICAL & POLAR JET STREAMS CONVERGED.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N369AU (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BOEING 737-300
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 23319
- Airframe hours: 1236
- Engines: P&W JT8D 14500 lbs thrust turbo fan
- Damage: Minor damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Registered owner: Usair
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Departed: PIT, PITTSBURGH, PA
- Destination: TPA, TAMPA, FL
- Flight plan: IFR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 54; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 28,600 total, 800 in this make and model, 4 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/bright
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 27 °F, dew point 19 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: GSO, 90 nm away

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19861222072299A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19861222072299A), Dec 22, 1986: Boeing 7373B7, Greensboro, NC, Minor damage. The aircraft encountred severe clear air turbulence, causing injuries. Dispatcher did not have necessary reports.

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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