On January 19, 1988, a Douglas DC-9-82 (registration N915TW) operated by Trans World Airlines, Inc. was involved in an aviation accident near Hickman, KY. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 3 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A passenger was injured after leaving her seat to use the lavatory despite the seat belt sign being on and announcements to remain seated. The aircraft encountered moderate turbulence as she was exiting the lavatory, causing her and a flight attendant to fall.
Incident Overview
A commercial flight experienced an incident during which a passenger and a flight attendant sustained injuries. The events occurred after takeoff while the aircraft was encountering turbulence.
Sequence of Events
Following takeoff, the captain left the seat belt sign in the on position. The flight attendants made an announcement instructing passengers to remain seated and keep their seat belts fastened due to the turbulence that the aircraft was encountering. Despite this warning, a passenger elected to get up from her seat and proceed to the aft lavatory. As the passenger was leaving the aft lavatory, the aircraft encountered moderate turbulence. The passenger and a flight attendant who was attempting to assist her were thrown to the floor, resulting in injuries to both individuals.
Injuries
The injuries sustained by the passenger and the flight attendant are noted in the incident report. No further details regarding the nature or severity of the injuries were provided.