Casualties unknown

1996-04-28: Boeing 727-222A (N7443U) — Chicago, IL

Chicago, IL, US

On April 28, 1996, a Boeing 727-222A (registration N7443U) was involved in an aviation accident near Chicago, IL. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: a passenger disturbance that required the flight attendant to leave her seat. A factor in this accident was the encounter with turbulence as the flight attendant was performing her assigned duties. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 1781061362Data APIEditorial standards
Aircraft registered N7443U
Aircraft registered N7443U. Photo: Andrew Thomas from Shrewsbury, UK / CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

A flight attendant fell onto the floor after encountering turbulence while descending through a cloud layer. The crew had been warned of possible moderate chop and instructed passengers to remain seated.

Incident Overview

An airline flight cruising at Flight Level 240 was advised by air traffic control of possible moderate chop beginning at Flight Level 220. The captain notified the flight attendants of this information. Shortly thereafter, the flight was instructed to descend to Flight Level 190. The captain activated the seat belt sign and requested that passengers take their seats.

Turbulence Encounter

During the descent, the aircraft encountered turbulence as it entered a cloud layer at Flight Level 220. At that moment, a flight attendant was attending to a passenger who had left their seat. The flight attendant lost balance and fell against a passenger seat armrest, then onto the floor.

Response and Outcome

Following the incident, the crew continued the flight. No further details regarding the status of the flight attendant or any injuries were provided in the initial report.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001208X05525. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.