# NTSB MIA88IA177: British BAC-111-203, N1544, Orlando, FL, May 24, 1988

- Type: NTSB incident investigation
- Classification: Incident · Minor injuries · Incident investigation · Final report
- Date: May 24, 1988, 15:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place: Orlando, FL
- Coordinates: 28.479013, -81.319892 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.4790&lon=-81.3199&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 6 minor, 55 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report March 5, 1990
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Safety recommendations: Yes
- NTSB case key (mKey): 32064
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA88IA177
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/32064/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA88IA177

## Sequence of events

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

- In flight encounter with weather, descent - normal
  - passenger briefing - issued, pilot in command
  - weather evaluation - performed, pilot in command
  - seat belt sign - selected, pilot in command
- Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, descent - normal
  - misc eqpt/furnishings,seat belt - disconnected (cause)
  - maintenance,adjustment - improper, other maintenance personnel (cause)

## Analysis

THE FLT WAS DESCENDING THRU 13000 FT WHEN TURBULENCE WAS ENCOUNTERED. FOUR PASSENGERS AND TWO FLIGHT ATTENDENTS WERE INJURED. THE PASSENGERS WERE INJURED WHEN THEIR SEATBELTS' END FITTINGS DETACHED FROM THEIR SEATS' TIE-DOWN SHACKLES AND THE PASSENGERS STRUCK CABIN FURNISHINGS. TESTS DETERMINED THAT WHEN A SHACKLE'S ATTACHMENT BOLT WAS OVERTIGHTENED (AND THE SHACKLE WAS NOT FREE TO SELF-CENTER) A SEATBELT LOAD WOULD BEND THE KEEPER ON THE BELT'S END FITTING AND THE FITTING WOULD OPEN AND DETACH FROM THE SHACKLE.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N1544](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1544-1997-11-12), registration cancelled 1997-11-12, S/N 018 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: British Aircraft Corp. (BAC) BAC-111-203 (BAC-111-20)
- Registry model: [British BAC 1-11 203/AE](https://openairdocs.org/model/british-bac-1-11-203-ae) (registry code 1480208) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 018
- Engines: Rolls-Royce 506-14D 10410 horsepower turbo jet
- Damage: Minor damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Operator: Braniff, Inc.
- Registered owner: Finalco, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, May 24, 1988, 2 hours before
- Departed: IND, INDIANAPOLIS, IN
- Destination: MCO, ORLANDO, FL
- Flight plan: IFR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 45; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 16,000 total, 5,000 in this make and model, 230 in the last 90 days, 80 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day
- Wind: 180° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 91 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observed at: MCO, 35 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 19880524022039A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19880524022039A), May 24, 1988: Bac 111203AE, Orlando, FL, Minor damage. Encountered severe turbulence. Several seat belts came loose. Belt anchors had been rotated upside down. How unknown

## Other investigations on N1544 (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 FTW66I0020](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW66I0020), Aug 19, 1965: British AC 1-11 (N1544), Corpus Christ, TX, incident, no damage

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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