- Date
- August 28, 1991, 13:42 local (17:42 UTC)
- Place
- Atlantic Ocean (Atlantic Ocean)
- Injuries
- 33 minor, 152 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N18066Airbus Industrie A-300-600R
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 13, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910828062919I
- Case key
- 32776
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the incident.
On this page
Probable cause
The in flight encounter with turbulence, and the failure of the passengers to comply with instructions to return to their seats and utilize their seatbelts.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The airliner encountered in-flight turbulence associated with developing convective conditions. The flightcrew had previously illuminated the seatbelt sign and the flight attendants had made an announcement. Some passengers did not comply with the instructions and were injured. The flight diverted to another airport and the passengers, who only received minor injuries were treated and released from a local hospital.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N18066
- Reported as
- Airbus Industrie A-300-600R
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 509
- Engine
- GE CF-6-80C-2, 56,000 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- American Airlines
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Departed
- JFK · New York, NY
- Destination
- SJU · San Juan, PR
- Flight plan
- IFR
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 58
- Certificates
- Commercial, 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 · 1,200 in this make and model · 185 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 100° at 15 knots, gusting 5
- Visibility
- 3 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,800 ft broken
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TXKF, 80 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.