# NTSB FTW96IA235: McDonnell Douglas MD-82, N493AA, Childress, TX, June 3, 1996 - Type: NTSB incident investigation - Classification: Incident · Minor injuries · Incident investigation · Final report - Date: June 3, 1996, 18:05 local (23:05 UTC) - Place: Childress, TX - Coordinates: 34.419036, -100.239112 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.4190&lon=-100.2391&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 9 minor, 59 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 16, 1996 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 19672 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW96IA235 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/19672/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW96IA235 ## Probable cause The aircraft's encounter with unforcasted and unreported severe turbulence. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, cruise - normal - weather condition - turbulence in clouds (cause) ## Analysis American Airlines Flight 722 originated from El Paso, Texas, and was en route to Chicago, Illinois. The aircraft was about 30 miles north of Childress, Texas, at FL330 when it encountered severe turbulence for approximately 5 seconds. The First Officer was flying the aircraft in IMC, and no cells were being painted on the aircraft's radar in the immediate area. The nearest cell being painted was approximately 20 miles right of track. The flight attendants were providing service to the passengers, the seat belt light was illuminated, and all passengers were seated. Convective sigmets 99C, 01C, and 02C were in effect for New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. The flight crew advised ATC and diverted to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Two flight attendants and seven passengers were taken to a local hospital, and were treated and released. An inspection of the aircraft revealed no damage, and it was released for flight. ## Factual narrative On June 3, 1996, at 1805 central daylight time, a McDonnell Douglas MD-82, N493AA, registered to and operated by American Airlines as a scheduled Title 14 CFR Part 121 flight, encountered severe turbulence 35 NM north of Childress, Texas. Two flight attendants and seven passengers sustained minor injuries and three crew members and 56 passengers were not injured. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight plan was filed. American Airlines Flight 722 originated from El Paso, Texas, and was en route to Chicago, Illinois. The aircraft was approximately 30 miles north of Childress, Texas, at FL330 when it encountered severe turbulence for approximately 5 seconds. Fort Worth Center had issued Flight 722 a left/right deviation clearance for weather, which was about 80 miles ahead, and the aircraft was on this deviation when the turbulence was encountered. The First Officer was flying the aircraft in IMC, and no cells were being painted on the aircraft's radar in the immediate area. The nearest cell being painted was approximately 20 miles right of track. Convective sigmets 99C, 01C, and 02C were in effect for New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. The flight attendants were providing service to the passengers, the seat belt light was illuminated, and all passengers were seated when the severe turbulence was encountered. The flight crew advised ATC and diverted to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The two flight attendants and seven passengers were taken to a local hospital, and were treated and released. An inspection of the aircraft revealed no damage, and it was released for flight. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N493AA](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N493AA-2024-11-07), registration cancelled 2024-11-07, S/N 49731, built 1989 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: McDonnell Douglas MD-82 - Registry model: [Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-82(MD-82)](https://openairdocs.org/model/mcdonnell-douglas-dc-9-82-md-82) (registry code 3022082) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney JT8D series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-jt8d-series) (registry code 52053, turbo-jet) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 49731 - Engines: P&W JT8D 20000 lbs thrust turbo fan - Damage: No damage - Flight: Part 121 - Registered owner: American Airlines - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Standard, Transport - Departed: ELP, EL PASO, TX - Destination: ORD, CHICAGO, IL - Flight plan: IFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 57; commercial, flight engineer, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 1,583 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Dusk - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.