On July 5, 1994, a Douglas DC-9-32 (registration N901VJ) operated by Valujet Airlines Inc. was involved in an aviation accident near Valdosta, GA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: AN ENCOUNTER WITH CLEAR AIR TURBULENCE THAT WAS NOT FORECAST NOR OBSERVABLE ON RADAR. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A DC-9 encountered light to moderate turbulence during climb, leading to a flight attendant falling and breaking her leg despite seat belt sign activation and passenger announcement.
Incident
During an en route climb, a DC-9 aircraft experienced approximately one minute of light to moderate turbulence. The captain activated the fasten seat belt sign and made an announcement instructing passengers to remain seated, but flight attendants were permitted to continue cabin service.
Injuries
One flight attendant, who was standing in the rear galley at the time, fell and sustained a broken leg.
Weather Conditions
Examination of available meteorological data revealed no thunderstorms or convective activity in the vicinity that would have been observable on the weather avoidance radar.