# NTSB LAX89LA191: Airbus Industrie A-300-B4-203, N972C, San Diego, CA, May 11, 1989

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: May 10, 1989, 21:55 local (May 11, 1989, 04:55 UTC)
- Place: San Diego, CA
- Location: 32.7153° N, 117.1573° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of San Diego, CA, within about 10 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.7153&lon=-117.1573&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious, 93 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report August 22, 1990
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 26405
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX89LA191
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/26405/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX89LA191

## Probable cause

AN UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER WITH CLEAR AIR TURBULENCE WHICH SERIOUSLY INJURED A PASSENGER IN THE AFT LAVATORY.

## Sequence of events

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

- In flight encounter with weather, descent - normal
  - weather condition - turbulence,clear air (cause)
  - seat belt sign - selected, pilot in command
  - seat belt - not used, passenger (cause)

## Analysis

THE AIRBUS A-300 WAS DESCENDING THROUGH 14000 FEET MSL WHEN IT ENCOUNTERED MODERATE TO SEVERE CLEAR AIR TURBULENCE. THE FASTEN SEAT BELT SIGN HAD BEEN TURNED ON APPROXIMATELY FOUR MINUTES PRIOR TO THE ENCOUNTER. A PASSENGER WAS IN THE AFT LAVATORY DURING THE ENCOUNTER AND SUFFERED A BROKEN ANKLE. THE RIDE PRIOR TO THE TURBULENCE WAS CLEAR AND SMOOTH.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N972C (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: Airbus Industrie A-300-B4-203 (A300-B4-20)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 0289
- Airframe hours: 9887
- Engines: GE CF6-50C2 38000 lbs thrust turbo fan
- Damage: No damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Operator: Continental Airlines
- Registered owner: Wilmington Trust Company
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, May 5, 1989, 53 hours before
- Departed: IAH, HOUSTON, TX
- Destination: SAN, SAN DIEGO, CA
- Flight plan: IFR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 42; flight engineer, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 9,000 total, 465 in this make and model, 5,000 as pilot in command

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg

## 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 19890510066829A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19890510066829A), May 10, 1989: Airbus A300B4203, San Diego, CA. Encountered severe clear air turbulence on descent. Passenger in aft lavatory injured. Seat belt sign on 4 minutes.

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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