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Severe Turbulence Injures Flight Attendant During Smooth Flight (N329AE)

Ventura, CA, US

On December 11, 1997, a Saab-scania AB (saab) 340B (registration N329AE) operated by Wings West was involved in an aviation accident near Ventura, CA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Seat belt not used. A related factor was the unforecasted severe air turbulence. 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.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 2026-07-04Data APIEditorial standards
Aircraft registered N329AE
Aircraft registered N329AE. Photo: Aeroprints.com / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

A flight attendant was seriously injured when sudden severe turbulence struck during an otherwise smooth flight, shortly after the captain activated the seat belt sign due to light chop.

Incident Overview

A captain reported that approximately 20 minutes into a smooth flight, and about 10 minutes before landing, he felt some light chop and turned on the seat belt sign. Shortly thereafter, the aircraft encountered sudden and violent severe turbulence, which seriously injured a flight attendant.

Crew Actions

At the time of the turbulence, the flight attendant had completed her service and was about to acknowledge the seat belt sign over the public-address system prior to being seated for landing. The captain had activated the sign in response to the light chop.

Weather Information

According to the crew, no valid SIGMET was issued, and no AIRMET or PIREPS were available regarding the turbulence encountered.

Weather

Related events

Same operator

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 11 Dec 1997 Saab-scania AB (saab) 340B accident near Ventura, CA?

A flight attendant was seriously injured when sudden severe turbulence struck during an otherwise smooth flight, shortly after the captain activated the seat belt sign due to light chop.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 11 Dec 1997 involved a Saab-scania AB (saab) 340B, registration N329AE, operated by Wings West, at Ventura, CA.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

Seat belt not used. A related factor was the unforecasted severe air turbulence.

More accident analyses

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001208X09334. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.