# NTSB LAX99LA087: Airbus Industrie A-320-232, N640AW, Las Vegas, NV, February 1, 1999 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 1, 1999, 07:10 local (15:10 UTC) - Place: Las Vegas, NV - Location: 36.1750° N, 115.1372° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Las Vegas, NV, within about 7 miles (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.1750&lon=-115.1372&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 134 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 18, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 45711 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX99LA087 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/45711/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA087 ## Probable cause The injured passenger's failure to follow the instructions of the cabin attendants. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Miscellaneous/other, cruise - procedures/directives - not complied with, passenger (cause) ## Analysis According to the statements of the three cabin attendants and the flight crew, the aircraft had been in light to moderate turbulence for most of the flight. The seat belt sign was illuminated and several public address system announcements had been made for the passengers to remain seated with their seat belts fastened. The flight and cabin crewmembers reported that at the time of the incident the turbulence had abated and the ride was smooth; however, the seat belt sign remained illuminated. A 70-year-old male passenger in seat 23C got up and began walking toward the aft lavatory. One cabin attendant told the passenger to return to his seat unless it was an absolute necessity to visit the lavatory. The passenger, who has two artificial legs, declined to follow the cabin attendant's instruction and continued to the aft galley area where he fell, fracturing his hip. The crew obtained medical advice by radio from Med Link, and, after consultation with a physician, the aircraft continued to its destination. ## Factual narrative On February 1, 1999, about 0710 hours Pacific standard time, a passenger sustained a fractured hip on America West Airlines Flight 5 while en route between Tampa, Florida, and Las Vegas, Nevada. The accident occurred while the aircraft was in cruise flight at flight level 310, approximately 1.5 hours after departure from Tampa. The aircraft, an Airbus A320-232, N640AW, was not damaged. The captain, first officer, 3 cabin attendants and the remaining 129 passengers were not injured. The operation was conducted under 14 CFR Part 121 of the Federal Aviation Regulations as a scheduled domestic passenger flight, which originated in Tampa at 0640 eastern standard time as a non-stop flight to Las Vegas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed. According to the statements of the three cabin attendants and the flight crew, the aircraft had been in light to moderate turbulence for most of the flight. The seat belt sign was illuminated and several public address system announcements had been made for the passengers to remain seated with their seat belts fastened. The flight and cabin crewmembers reported that at the time of the incident the turbulence had abated and the ride was smooth; however, the seat belt sign remained illuminated. A 70-year-old male passenger in seat 23C got up and began walking toward the aft lavatory. One cabin attendant told the passenger to return to his seat unless it was an absolute necessity to visit the lavatory. The passenger, who has two artificial legs, declined to follow the cabin attendant's instruction and continued to the aft galley area where he fell, fracturing his hip. The crew obtained medical advice by radio from Med Link, and, after consultation with a physician, the aircraft continued to its destination. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N640AW](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N640AW-2016-07-12), registration cancelled 2016-07-12, S/N 448, built 1994 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Airbus Industrie A-320-232 (A320-232) - Registry model: [Airbus Industrie A320-232](https://openairdocs.org/model/airbus-industrie-a320-232) (registry code 3930326) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [IAE V2500SERIES](https://openairdocs.org/engine/iae-v2500series) (registry code 34601, turbo-jet) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 448 - Airframe hours: 18554 - Engines: Int'l Aero En V2527 24800 lbs thrust turbo fan - Damage: No damage - Flight: Part 121 - Operator: America West Airlines, Inc. - Registered owner: Acg Acquisition, LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, December 24, 1998, 480 hours before - Departed: TPA, TAMPA, FL - Destination: LAS - Flight plan: IFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 35; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 14,000 total, 1,300 in this make and model, 90 in the last 90 days, 50 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 280° at 80 knots - Visibility: 20 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none ## 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 19990201027869A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990201027869A), Feb 1, 1999: Airbus A320232, Las Vegas, NV. (.19) On February 1, 1999, about 0710 hours pacific standard time, a passenger sustained a fractured hip on america west airlines flight 5 while en route… 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.