- Date
- June 16, 1991, 15:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Philadelphia, PA
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 5 minor, 272 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- PHBFGBoeing 747-400
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 13, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 11682
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Failure of the pilot to ensure cabin crew members were prepared for an encounter with turbulence.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The flight was on a cruise descent at 20,000 feet MSL when it encountered turbulence, causing injuries to cabin crewmembers including one who was seriously injured. The pilot reported that he was deviating around cumulonimbus clouds when he inadvertently entered one. He said the seat belt sign was on at the time. The flight proceeded to the destination and landed without further incident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- PHBFG
- Reported as
- Boeing 747-400
- Category
- Airplane
- Engine
- turbo fan
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Part 129
- Operator
- Klm Royal Dutch Airline
- Registered owner
- Klm Royal Dutch Airline
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- Unknown · January 2, 2000
- Departed
- AMS · Amsterdam, OF
- Destination
- BWI · Baltimore, MD
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 54
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 15,016 total · 134 in the last 90 days · 65 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 7,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PHL, 999 nm away