Lockheed L-1011 N317EA
28 September 1987 · Bermuda, Bermuda · Serious injuries
Summary
On 28 September 1987 at about 19:43 local time, a Lockheed L-1011 registered N317EA, operated by Eastern Airlines, was involved in an accident near Bermuda, Bermuda. 139 people were on board and one was seriously injured, 39 had minor injuries. The aircraft was slightly damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 19:43
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Bermuda, Bermuda
- Coordinates
- Not recorded
- Aircraft
- Lockheed L-1011
- Registration
- N317EA
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 3
- Operator
- Eastern Airlines
- Operating rule
- Part 121: Air Carrier
- Purpose of flight
- Unknown
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- San Juan → Jamaica
- Aircraft damage
- Minor
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- NYC87FA264
People
1 person was seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 139 | 0 | 1 | 39 | 99 |
Probable cause
ENCOUNTER WITH UNDETECTABLE CLEAR AIR TURBULENCE.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE AIRCRAFT WAS CRUISING AT FL310 EN ROUTE BETWEEN PUERTO RICO AND NEW YORK WHEN IT ENCOUNTERED CLEAR AIR TURBULENCE. SEVERAL PASSENGERS AND FLIGHT ATTENDANTS WERE THROWN ABOUT THE CABIN OF THE AIRCRAFT. ONE FLIGHT ATTENDANT RECEIVED A BROKEN WRIST. THE FLIGHT DIVERTED TO BERMUDA WHERE THE INJURED PASSENGERS WERE TREATED AND RELEASED. THE FLIGHT CREW SAID THEY WERE OPERATING IN CIRRO-STRATUS CLOUDS AT THE TIME OF THE OCCURRENCE AND NO ECHOES WERE BEING SHOWN ON THE AIRBORNE RADAR. THE SEATBELT SIGN WAS ILLUMINATED AT THE TIME OF THE OCCURRENCE AND THE CAPTAIN SAID IN AN INTERVIEW THAT HIS NORMAL PROCEDURE WAS TO KEEP THE SIGN ON AT ALL TIMES.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Lockheed L-1011 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 Aug 1987 | Lockheed L-1011-385-1 | Atlanta, Georgia, United States | Delta Airlines, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 23 Aug 1988 | Lockheed L-1011-385 | San Francisco, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 19 Dec 1988 | Lockheed L-1011 | Atlanta, Georgia, United States | Delta Air Lines | No injuries | - |
| 22 Aug 1986 | Lockheed L-1011-385-1 | Denver, Colorado, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 15 Feb 1986 | Lockheed L-1011-385-1 | Jamaica, New York, United States | Eastern Airlines | Serious injuries | - |
| 2 Aug 1985 | Lockheed L-1011-385-1 | Dallas/Ft Worth, Texas, United States | - | Fatal | 134 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 Jul 2016 | Airbus A321 231 | Bermuda, Bermuda | JetBlue | Serious injuries | - |
| 30 Apr 2018 | Cessna 172 | Hamilton, Bermuda | Southern Aircraft Consultancy Inc Truste | Minor injuries | - |