Boeing 737-522 N953UA

Summary

On 25 November 1995 at about 23:23 local time, a Boeing 737-522 registered N953UA, operated by United Airlines, Inc., was involved in an accident near Portland, Oregon, United States. 112 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.

Date

25 November 1995 at 23:23

Classification

Accident

Location

Portland, Oregon, United States

Coordinates

45.5805, -122.9108

Aircraft

Boeing 737-522

Registration

N953UA

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

United Airlines, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

San Francisco → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA96LA026

1 person was seriously injured.

AN UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER WITH UNFORECAST MODERATE HIGH LEVEL WINDSHEAR AND TURBULENCE AS THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT WAS PERFORMING HIS DUTIES DURING DESCENT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE CAPTAIN REPORTED THAT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE DESCENT FOR LANDING HE TURNED ON THE SEATBELT SIGN AND INFORMED THE CABIN CREW TO SECURE THE CABIN EARLY BECAUSE OF SUSPECTED TURBULENCE. HE DID NOT URGE THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS TO BE SEATED IMMEDIATELY, BECAUSE NONE OF THE WEATHER INFORMATION HE RECEIVED AT THE TIME INDICATED ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE POSSIBILITY OF LIGHT TURBULENCE. ABOUT 15 MINUTES LATER, WHILE DESCENDING THROUGH FLIGHT LEVEL 200, THE AIRPLANE BRIEFLY ENCOUNTERED WHAT THE CAPTAIN DESCRIBED AS MODERATE TURBULENCE. ONE OF THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS WAS STILL SECURING THE CABIN AT THE TIME AND FELL BACKWARDS ONTO A STOVE IN THE GALLEY, SUSTAINING A FRACTURED SHOULDER. WEATHER INFORMATION RECEIVED AFTER THE ACCIDENT REVEALED THAT MODERATE TURBULENCE OR SIGNIFICANT WEATHER REPORTS WERE NOT FORECAST FOR THE ALTITUDE OF OCCURRENCE BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.