Airbus A-300-B4-203 N972C
11 May 1989 · San Diego, California, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 11 May 1989 at about 04:55 local time, a Airbus A-300-B4-203 registered N972C, operated by Continental Airlines, was involved in an accident near San Diego, California, United States. 94 people were on board and one was seriously injured. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 04:55
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- San Diego, California, United States
- Coordinates
- Not recorded
- Aircraft
- Airbus A-300-B4-203
- Registration
- N972C
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 2
- Operator
- Continental Airlines
- Operating rule
- Part 121: Air Carrier
- Purpose of flight
- Unknown
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Houston → San Diego
- Aircraft damage
- Not recorded
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Night/Dark
- NTSB number
- LAX89LA191
People
1 person was seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 94 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 93 |
Probable cause
AN UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER WITH CLEAR AIR TURBULENCE WHICH SERIOUSLY INJURED A PASSENGER IN THE AFT LAVATORY.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE AIRBUS A-300 WAS DESCENDING THROUGH 14000 FEET MSL WHEN IT ENCOUNTERED MODERATE TO SEVERE CLEAR AIR TURBULENCE. THE FASTEN SEAT BELT SIGN HAD BEEN TURNED ON APPROXIMATELY FOUR MINUTES PRIOR TO THE ENCOUNTER. A PASSENGER WAS IN THE AFT LAVATORY DURING THE ENCOUNTER AND SUFFERED A BROKEN ANKLE. THE RIDE PRIOR TO THE TURBULENCE WAS CLEAR AND SMOOTH.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Airbus A-300 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Jul 1989 | Airbus A-300 | San Juan | American Airlines | Fatal | - |
| 24 Oct 1988 | Airbus A-300-600R | San Juan | American Airlines, Inc. | Minor injuries | - |
| 23 May 1988 | Airbus A-300 | Near San Juan | Pan American World Airways | No injuries | - |
| 28 Nov 1988 | Airbus A-300-600 | San Juan | American Airlines | Minor injuries | - |
| 2 Jul 1991 | Airbus A-300-605R | Newark, New Jersey, United States | American Airlines, Inc. | Serious injuries | - |
| 3 Aug 1987 | Airbus A-300-B4-203 | Denver, Colorado, United States | - | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Sep 1989 | Piper PA-31-350 | Ontario, California, United States | Ameriflight | Fatal | 1 |
| 26 Sep 1989 | Piper PA-25-235 | Warner Springs, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 19 Sep 1989 | Cessna 310K | Ojai, California, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 30 Sep 1989 | Cessna 182 | Eureka, California, United States | Nothern Air | No injuries | - |
| 30 Sep 1989 | Cessna 152 | Lancaster, California, United States | West Coast Air Center | Fatal | 2 |
| 29 Sep 1989 | Bellanca 17-30A | Palo Alto, California, United States | Klouda, Linda K. | Minor injuries | - |