# NTSB NYC87FA260: Boeing 737, N318AU, Philadelphia, PA, September 18, 1987

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: September 18, 1987, 19:13 local (23:13 UTC)
- Place: Philadelphia, PA
- Location: 39.9523° N, 75.1638° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Philadelphia, PA, within about 7 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.9523&lon=-75.1638&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious, 6 minor, 74 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report March 31, 1989
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 30517
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC87FA260
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/30517/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC87FA260

## Sequence of events

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

- In flight encounter with weather, maneuvering - holding(ifr)
  - weather condition - thunderstorm (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - rain (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - turbulence (contributing factor)
- Miscellaneous/other, maneuvering - holding(ifr)
  - seat belt sign - selected, pilot in command
  - seat belt - not used, passenger (cause)

## Analysis

THE ACFT WAS IN A HOLDING PATTERN AT 11,000' IN AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS & TURBULENCE. ALTHOUGH THE SEAT BELT SIGN WAS ON, TWO PASSENGERS (PAX) WENT TO THE AFT LAVATORY. AS ONE OF THE PAX WAS WAITING & THE OTHER WAS EXITING THE LAVATORY, THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE. THE FLT ATTENDANTS (F/A'S) TOLD THE PAX TO BE SEATED; HOWEVER, THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH TIME & THE PAX WAS THROWN AGAINST THE EXTENDED LEG OF A F/A, WHO WAS BRACING HERSELF IN A F/A SEAT. THE F/A SUFFERED A BROKEN LEG. ANOTHER F/A & 5 PAX RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N318AU (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BOEING 737
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 22886
- Airframe hours: 12493
- Engines: P&W JT8D-15A 15500 lbs thrust turbo fan
- Damage: No damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Operator: Usair
- Registered owner: Usair
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: MSY, NEW ORLEANS, LA
- Flight plan: IFR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 46; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 16,210 total, 1,200 in this make and model, 4,500 as pilot in command, 169 in the last 90 days, 61 in the last 30 days, 8 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Night/dark
- Wind: 30° at 17 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 700 ft broken
- Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observed at: PHL, 15 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).

- [Incident 19870918067329I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19870918067329I), Sep 18, 1987: Boeing 7372B7, Woodstown, NJ. Moderate turbulance encountered while holding. Seat belt sign on. Passengers not strapped in had injuries.

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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