# NTSB MIA01LA224: Airbus Industrie A320-232, N605AW, Needles, CA, August 20, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 20, 2001, 01:04 local (08:04 UTC) - Place: Needles, CA - Coordinates: 34.828297, -114.61934 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.8283&lon=-114.6193&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 139 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 28, 2002 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 53090 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA01LA224 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/53090/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA01LA224 ## Probable cause an inadvertent in-flight encounter with 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,convection induced (cause) - flight into known adverse weather - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis The flight was assigned a routing to avoid thunderstorm activity. The seatbelt sign was illuminated, and the flight encountered moderate turbulence for approximately 5 seconds. One flight attendant, who was standing in the aft galley, struck her head and was knocked unconscious for approximately 5 minutes. The flightcrew communicated with the company, and the determination was made to continue to the destination. The flight attendant was unable to perform further duties. Upon arrival, the injured flight attendant was transported to the hospital for observation, where she remained for 48 hours. At the time of the accident convective SIGMET (Significant Meteorological Advisory) 12W was valid and stated: "…..AREA TS MOV LTL. TOPS ABV FL450." Area of thunderstorms moving very little. Tops above 45,000 feet mean sea level. ## Factual narrative On August 20, 2001, about 0104 Pacific daylight time, an Airbus A320-232, N605AW, operated by America West Airlines as flight 579, while on a Title 14 CFR Part 121 scheduled domestic flight, encountered moderate turbulence associated with convective activity while climbing through flight level 250 near Needles, California, and continued on to Tampa, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. An IFR flight plan was filed. The airplane was not damaged. The flightcrew of two, two flight attendants, and 135 passengers reported no injuries. One flight attendant reported serious injuries. The flight had departed Las Vegas, Nevada, at 0045, was destined for Tampa, Florida, and landed there at 0501 (0801 eastern daylight time). The flight was assigned a routing over Needles and Buckeye, Arizona, to avoid thunderstorm activity. The seatbelt sign was illuminated. The flight encountered moderate turbulence for approximately 5 seconds. One flight attendant, who was standing in the aft galley, struck her head and was knocked unconscious for approximately 5 minutes. The flightcrew communicated with the dispatcher, a medical advisory firm, and an onboard physician and the determination was made to continue to the destination. The flight attendant was unable to perform further duties. Upon arrival, the injured flight attendant was transported to the hospital for observation, where she remained for 48 hours. At the time of the accident convective SIGMET (Significant Meteorological Advisory) 12W was valid until 0655, for Arizona (AZ), Utah (UT), and Nevada (NV), and covered the area from 50 miles west of Bryce Canyon, UT, to 20 miles south of Peach Springs, AZ, to 30 miles east of Las Vegas, NV, to 50 miles south of Wilson Creek, NV, and back to 50 miles west of Bryce Canyon, UT. The SIGMET stated: "..…AREA TS MOV LTL. TOPS ABV FL450." Area of thunderstorms moving very little. Top above 45,000 feet mean sea level. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N605AW](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N605AW-2009-07-02), registration cancelled 2009-07-02, S/N 543, built 1997 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Airbus Industrie 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: 543 - Engines: Int'l Aero En V2500 25000 lbs thrust turbo fan - Damage: No damage - Flight: Part 121 - Operator: America West Inc., doing business as America West Airlines - Registered owner: International Lease Finance Corp. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Departed: LAS, LAS VEGAS, NV - Destination: TPA, Tampa, FL - Flight plan: IFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 46; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review April 11, 2001; seat: left; flight hours: 13,000 total, 200 in this make and model - Co-pilot; age 36; injuries: none; airline transport, flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: right; flight hours: 10,000 total, 200 in this make and model, 7,500 as pilot in command, 150 in the last 90 days, 50 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: 240° at 9 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 93 °F, dew point 55 °F - Altimeter: 29.75 inHg - Observed at: EED ## 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 20010820038359A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010820038359A), Aug 20, 2001: Airbus A320232, Tampa, FL, No damage. (.19) On August 20, 2001, about 0404 eastern daylight time, an Airbus A320-232, N605AW, operated by america west as flight 579, as a title 14 CFR part 121… 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.