On May 15, 1992, a Boeing 737-200 (registration N67SW) operated by Southwest Airlines Co. was involved in an aviation accident near Palacios, TX. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: THE FLIGHT'S UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER WITH MODERATE TURBULENCE. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 4 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
Photo: San Diego Air & Space Museum Archives / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
A flight encountered moderate turbulence after entering clouds in dark night conditions. A flight attendant suffered a broken ankle when thrown to the floor. The seat belt light was on, but attendants were clearing the cabin. Turbulence was forecast, but no PIREPs existed. Passengers were seated.
Incident Description
A flight experienced moderate turbulence soon after entering cloud cover under dark night conditions while performing a routine descent. The turbulence occurred without prior warning from other aircraft, as no pilot reports (PIREPs) had been issued along the flight's route. Nevertheless, the possibility of turbulence had been noted in the weather forecast. At the time of the encounter, the seat belt sign was illuminated, indicating that occupants should remain seated. However, the three flight attendants were standing and actively engaged in clearing the cabin in preparation for landing. All passengers were seated and presumably had their seat belts fastened. During the turbulence, a flight attendant stationed in the mid-cabin area was thrown to the floor, resulting in a broken ankle.
