# NTSB LAX99LA323: Airbus Industrie A-320-231, N628AW, Beatty, NV, September 17, 1999 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 16, 1999, 21:47 local (Sep 17, 1999, 04:47 UTC) - Place: Beatty, NV - Coordinates: 37.089893, -116.789405 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.0899&lon=-116.7894&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 10 minor, 128 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 6, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 47606 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX99LA323 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/47606/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA323 ## Probable cause the failure of the injured passengers to remain seated with their seat belts fastened as directed by the captain. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, descent - normal - light condition - dark night - weather condition - turbulence - procedures/directives - not followed, passenger (cause) ## Analysis While descending toward the destination airport, the pilot was deviating around thunderstorms and using his airborne radar to identify severe cells. It was a dark night and he was unable to make visual contact with the severe weather. The captain turned on the seat belt sign 45 minutes before the accident due to 'light chop' that he had encountered earlier in the flight. He made a PA announcement in which he told the passengers to return to their seats and to fasten their seat belts. About 20 minutes prior to the accident, he directed the flight attendants to suspend service and to secure the cabin. Once again, he made a PA announcement advising passengers of the increased chance of turbulence during the remainder of the flight. The aircraft encountered turbulence that lasted a few seconds with one large 'bump' that was accompanied by a sudden altitude gain that lasted a couple of seconds. After the event, flight attendants reported injuries to several passengers. According to the flight attendants, one or more of the injured passengers were out of the seats at the time of the turbulence encounter. ## Factual narrative On September 16, 1999, at 2147 hours Pacific daylight time, an America West flight 2569, an Airbus A320-231, N628AW, encountered turbulence while on descent over Beatty, Nevada. The aircraft was not damaged; however, three flight attendants and seven passengers received minor injuries, while one passenger received serious injuries. The aircraft was being operated as a scheduled domestic passenger flight by America West Airlines, Inc., under the provisions 14 CFR Part 121, when the accident occurred. The flight originated in Seattle, Washington, at 1955. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and an IFR flight plan was filed. The captain reported that he was at flight level (FL) 250 about 40 miles DME southeast of the Beatty VHF omni-directional radio range (VOR). He had been deviating around thunderstorms while using his airborne radar to identify severe cells. It was a dark night and he had been unable to make visual contact with the severe weather. The turbulence encounter lasted about 5 seconds with one large "bump" that was accompanied by about a 100-foot altitude gain in less than 2 seconds. After the event, flight attendants reported injuries to several passengers. The captain then contacted the company's Las Vegas flight operations and requested that emergency medical equipment meet the aircraft at the gate. The captain stated that he had turned on the seat belt sign 45 minutes before the accident due to "light chop" that he had encountered earlier in the flight. He made a public address (PA) announcement in which he told the passengers to return to their seats and to fasten their seat belts. About 20 minutes prior to the accident, he directed the flight attendants to suspend service and to secure the cabin. Finally, he made one last PA announcement advising passengers that there was an increased chance of turbulence during the remainder of their flight. According to statements from two of the flight attendants, one or more of the injured passengers were out of the seats when the turbulence was encountered. Emergency medical personnel met the aircraft at the gate, transporting six passengers to area hospitals. The three flight attendants were treated by paramedics at the scene and released. Although they were offered medical attention, two of the eight injured passengers refused medical treatment. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N628AW](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N628AW-2014-01-28), registration cancelled 2014-01-28, S/N 67, built 1989 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Airbus Industrie A-320-231 (A320-231) - Registry model: [Airbus Industrie A320-231](https://openairdocs.org/model/airbus-industrie-a320-231) (registry code 3930325) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (registry code 99999) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 067 - Airframe hours: 31622 - Engines: Int'l Aero En V2500A1 24800 lbs thrust turbo fan - Damage: No damage - Flight: Part 121 - Operator: America West Airlines, Inc., doing business as America West Airlines, Inc. - Registered owner: Wilmington Trust Company, Trus - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, August 17, 1999, 374 hours before - Departed: SEA, SEATTLE, WA - Destination: LAS, LAS VEGAS, NV - Flight plan: IFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 55; commercial, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 10,259 total, 253 in this make and model, 192 in the last 90 days, 65 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/bright - Wind: 320° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 52 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: LAS, 110 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 19990916037259A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990916037259A), Sep 16, 1999: Airbus A320231, Las Vegas, NV. (.19) On September 16, 1999, at 2147 hours pacific daylight time, an america west Airbus A320-321, N628AW, flight 2569, encountered turbulence while on descent… ## Other investigations on N628AW (1) 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. - [NTSB NYC99IA062](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC99IA062), Feb 16, 1999: Airbus Industrie A-320-231 (N628AW), Columbus, OH, incident, minor damage. Probable cause: a failure of the external o-rings in the nose landing gear steering module. 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.