Boeing B767-287ER N651US
4 May 1991 · Memphis, Tennessee, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 4 May 1991 at about 22:40 local time, a Boeing B767-287ER registered N651US, operated by Usair, was involved in an accident near Memphis, Tennessee, United States. 116 people were on board and one was seriously injured, 11 had minor injuries. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 22:40
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Memphis, Tennessee, United States
- Coordinates
- 35.1699, -89.8600
- Aircraft
- Boeing B767-287ER
- Registration
- N651US
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 2
- Operator
- Usair
- Operating rule
- Part 121: Air Carrier
- Purpose of flight
- Unknown
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Los Angeles → Charlotte
- Aircraft damage
- Not recorded
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ATL91LA091
People
1 person was seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 116 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 104 |
Probable cause
THE DELAYED INFLIGHT DECISION BY THE PILOT TO MANEUVER THE AIRCRAFT AWAY FROM THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE FLIGHT WAS IN LEVEL CRUISE FLIGHT AT FL430. THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT LEVEL 6 THUNDERSTOM ACTIVITY IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY OF THE TOLSA VOR AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, AND SIGMETS HAD BEEN ISSUED TO AND RECEIVED BY THE FLIGHT CREW ADVISING OF THIS ACTIVITY. THE FLIGHT CREW STATED THAT THE ONLY WEATHER BEING DEPICTED BY THEIR ON BOARD WEATHER RADAR WAS 40 MILES FROM THEIR POSITION AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT AND NOT IN THEIR FLIGHT PATH. ACCORDING TO TRANSCRIPTS OF THEIR CONVERSATION WITH AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL PERSONNEL, APPROXIMATELY FIVE MILES WEST OF THE TULSA VOR AND TWO MINUTES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, THE FLIGHT CREW REQUESTED AND RECEIVED PERMISSION TO DEVIATE FROM THE ASSIGNED COURSE IN ORDER TO AVOID BUILDUPS IN THEIR FLIGHT PATH. THE FLIGHT ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURBULENCE FOR A PERIOD OF ABOUT 10 TO 20 SECONDS. THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED 3500 FEET BEFORE THE FLIGHT CREW WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT'S DESCENT. THE FLIGHT THEN DIVERTED TO MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE IN ORDER TO OBGAIN MEDICAL ATTENTION FOR THOSE PERSONS INJURED IN THE CABIN SECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Boeing B767 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 May 1985 | Boeing B767-232 | D/Fw Airport, Texas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 7 Sep 2001 | Boeing B767-332 | Buenos Aires, Argentina | Delta Airlines | Serious injuries | - |
| 7 May 2003 | Boeing B767-300 | New Market, Virginia, United States | United Airlines | Serious injuries | - |
| 7 Nov 2004 | Boeing B767-200 | Manchester, United Kingdom | AID | Unknown | - |
| 14 Mar 2005 | Boeing B767 | Buenos Aires, Argentina | United Airlines Inc | Minor injuries | - |
| 24 Jul 2006 | Boeing B767-200 | Cancun, Mexico | Continental Airlines Inc | Minor injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Nov 1991 | British 3101 | Memphis, Tennessee, United States | Northwest Airlink | Serious injuries | - |
| 13 Nov 1991 | Georga L Atwood KITFOX III | Trezevant, Tennessee, United States | Atwood, George L. | No injuries | - |
| 19 Jan 1991 | Beechcraft K35 | Lafayette, Tennessee, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 14 Feb 1991 | Cessna 172 | Crossville, Tennessee, United States | Hagen, Gary W. | Fatal | 1 |
| 30 Mar 1991 | Piper PA-24-250 | Franklin, Tennessee, United States | Hannasch, Thomas P. | Fatal | 1 |
| 20 Apr 1991 | Cessna 172N | Dunlap, Tennessee, United States | Imperial Fabricating Company | Fatal | 2 |