# NTSB LAX98LA057: Saab-Scania 340B, N329AE, Ventura, CA, December 11, 1997

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: December 11, 1997, 05:35 local (13:35 UTC)
- Place: Ventura, CA
- Coordinates: 34.189346, -119.170921 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.1893&lon=-119.1709&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious, 16 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report February 15, 2000
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 30011
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX98LA057
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/30011/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA057

## Probable cause

Seat belt not used.  A related factor was the unforecasted severe air turbulence.

## Sequence of events

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

- In flight encounter with weather, cruise
  - weather condition - turbulence (contributing factor)
  - seat belt - not used, flight attendant (cause)

## Analysis

The captain reported that 20 minutes into a smooth flight, and 10 minutes before landing, he felt some light chop so he turned on the seat belt sign.  Shortly thereafter, they experienced sudden and violent severe turbulence, seriously injuring the flight attendant.  At that time, the flight attendant had completed her service and was about to acknowledge the seat belt sign over the public-address system prior to her being seated for landing.  According to the crew, no valid SIGMET was issued and no AIRMET or PIREPS were available.

## Factual narrative

On December 11, 1997, about 0535 hours Pacific standard time, a Saab 340B, N329AE, operated by American Eagle as Flight No. 3331, experienced severe turbulence in-flight at 5,000 feet msl over Ventura, California.  There was no aircraft damage reported.  There were no injuries to the 2 flight crewmembers or to the 14 passengers; one flight attendant received serious injuries.  The flight departed Santa Barbara, California, at 0510 on an IFR flight plan en route to Los Angeles, California.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed.  The aircraft performed an uneventful landing at Los Angeles International Airport.

Twenty minutes into a smooth flight, and 10 minutes from landing, the captain reported that he felt some light "chop" so he turned on the fasten seat belt sign.  Shortly thereafter they experienced sudden and violent severe turbulence. At that time, the flight attendant had completed her service and was about to acknowledge the seat belt sign over the public-address system prior to her being seated for landing.

According to the crew there was no valid sigmet issued and no airmet or pireps were available.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N329AE](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N329AE), registered now, S/N 340B-329 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Saab-Scania AB (Saab) 340B
- Registry model: [Saab-Scania SAAB 340B](https://openairdocs.org/model/saab-scania-saab-340b) (registry code 7860101) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [GE CT7-SER series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/ge-ct7-ser-series) (registry code 30031, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 340B-329
- Airframe hours: 11034
- Engines: GE CT7 1600 horsepower turbo prop
- Damage: No damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Operator: Wings West, doing business as American Eagle
- Registered owner: Flagship Airlines, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, November 1, 1997, 236 hours before
- Departed: SBA, SANTA BARBARA, CA
- Destination: LAX, LOS ANGELES, CA
- Flight plan: IFR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 39; 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: 12,000 total, 11,000 as pilot in command

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark
- Wind: 60° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 46 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: LAX, 32 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 19971211045509A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971211045509A), Dec 11, 1997: Saab 340B, Ventura, CA. (.4) The captain reported that 20 minutes into a smooth flight, and 10 minutes before landing, he felt some light chop so he turned on the seat belt sign.…

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.