- Date
- May 25, 1999, 16:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Newark, NJ
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 76 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N16703Boeing 737
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 3, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19990525040949A
- Case key
- 46541
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
In flight encounter with turbulence which caused a flight attendant to fall and break two bones in his right leg.
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
While descending through 10,000 feet mean sea level, and traveling in and out of cumulus clouds, the airplane encountered 'lite' turbulence. With the fasten seatbelt sign on, the airplane experienced an 'abrupt' vertical jolt. 'Shortly after', a flight attendant called from the aft galley, and advised the flight crew that a flight attendant was injured during the encounter. A doctor onboard the flight advised the crew that the flight attendant 'probably' broke his ankle. The flight attendant was placed in a passenger seat, and ice was applied to the injury. The captain instructed a dead heading flight attendant to assume the injured flight attendants duties, and requested priority from approach control because of a medical emergency. After landing, the injured flight attendant was removed, and transported to a local hospital for x-rays. Examination of the flight attendant right leg revealed two fractures, one on his tibia and one on his fibula.
Factual narrative
On May 25, 1999, about 1630, eastern daylight time, a Boeing 737, N16703, operated by Continental Airlines as flight 236, encountered turbulence while descending for landing near Newark, New Jersey. The airplane was not damaged. Two flight crewmembers, 6 flight attendants, and 68 passengers were not injured. One flight attendant sustained a serious injury to his ankle. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the scheduled passenger flight that departed Mexico City, Mexico, destined for Newark, New Jersey. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 121.
According to the captain, while descending through 10,000 feet msl, and traveling in and out of cumulus clouds, the airplane experiences "lite" turbulence. While the fasten seatbelt sign was on, the airplane then experienced an "abrupt" vertical jolt. "Shortly after", a flight attendant called from the aft galley, and advised the flight crew that a flight attendant was injured during the encounter.
A doctor onboard the flight advised the crew that the flight attendant "probably" broke his ankle. The flight attendant was placed in a passenger seat, and ice was applied to the injury. The captain instructed a dead heading flight attendant to assume the injured flight attendants duties, and requested priority from approach control because of a medical emergency. After landing, the injured flight attendant was removed, and transported to a local hospital for x-rays.
In the NTSB Form 6120.1/2 the operator stated that the flight attendant fractured his right tibia and fibula leg bones.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N16703
- Reported as
- Boeing 737
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 287764
- Airframe hours
- 3,620
- Engine
- GE CFM 56-8, 28,000 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Registered owner
- Continental Airlines
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · April 26, 1999 · 386 hours before
- Departed
- MEX · Mexico City
- Destination
- EWR
- 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
- 46
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 10 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 9,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- EWR
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.