CHARLOTTE, NC, USA
N159CC
SHORT BROTHERS SD 3-60
THE COMMUTER FLIGHT ENCOUNTERED CLEAR AIR TURBULENCE OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT, WHO WAS SERVING BEVERAGES, STRUCK THE CABIN CEILING AFTER A SEVERE JOLT. THE FLIGHT WAS RETURNING TO ITS PREVIOUS DEPARTURE CITY VIA THE SAME ROUTE, AND HAD EXPERIENCED MODERATE TURBULENCE DURING THE PREVIOUS FLIGHT. THE CAPTAIN REPORTED THAT THE AREA FORECAST WAS AVAILABLE AT THE DISPATCHER'S DESK AT THE BASE CITY. SHE STATED SHE DID NOT RECALL ITS CONTENTS. THE AREA FORECAST ADVISED OF AN INCREASING NW WIND FLOW ALOFT, TOWARD THE MOUNTAINS, AND FORECASTED LLWS AND ISOLATED SEVERE TURBULENCE. DURING THE PREVIOUS FLIGHT TO THE OUT STATION, A CENTER WX ADVISORY WAS ISSUED. IT FORECASTED SEVERE TURBULENCE IN A CONFINED AREA THAT INCLUDED THIS FLIGHT'S ROUTE. THE CAPTAIN STATED THAT WX INFORMATION WAS RECEIVED FROM THE OUT STATION. WX INFORMATION ISSUED TO THIS FLIGHT, AT THE OUT STATION, WAS OBTAINED FROM THE OPERATOR. IT DID NOT CONTAIN THE CENTER WX ADVISORY.
On April 22, 1993, at about 1420 eastern daylight time a Short Brothers SD 3-60, N159CC, encountered severe turbulence during cruise flight about 30 Nmi west of Charlotte, North Carolina. Flight 5052 was operated by CCAIR, Inc., doing business as (dba) USAir Express, under 14 CFR Part 121, as a scheduled, domestic, passenger flight. An instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed and activated. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. There were minor injuries to the flight attendant, and no injuries to the 33 passengers, nor the two flight crew members. The airplane was not damaged. Origination of the flight was the Tri-City Regional Airport (TRI), at Bristol/Johnson City/Kingsport, Tennessee, at 1345 on the same day. Charlotte, North Carolina was the destination. The airplane had been flown from Charlotte to TRI as Flight 5006. It arrived at TRI at 1320, and was at the gate at 1325. Flight 5052 left the gate enroute to Charlotte at 1345 and departed TRI at 1350. According to the flight crew, a higher altitude was requested, to avoid the bumpy flight conditions that were experienced during the flight to Bristol, Virginia. Air Traffic Control (ATC) assigned 10,000 feet, which afforded smooth flight conditions. Later, the flight was assigned 9,000 feet. Shortly after beginning the descent, the airplane encountered a sharp jolt of severe turbulence. The flight attendant reported that she was in the galley at the time of the severe jolt of turbulence. She struck the ceiling of the airplane and fell back to the floor. As she tried to rise, she was unsteady and fell again, into the emergency door. She called for help, and a passenger came to her assistance. The passenger knocked on the cockpit door to notify the flight crew of the flight attendant's injuries. The flight continued to Charlotte where the flight attendant received medical assistance. The flight attendant stated that, during the pre-flight briefing prior to departing Charlotte, she had requested specific notice from the flight crew when it was safe to begin cabin service. The request was made because of the turbulence she had noted during her commute to work that morning. Once on the ground at the TRI the request was repeated. After leaving TRI, the flight crew chimed the cabin to notify the flight attendant that cabin service could begin. According to the flight crew, a chime was the pre-arranged signal that cabin service could commence. The flight crew stated that when ATC cleared the flight to descend, the flight attendant was notified of the descent via the cabin interphone and advised to be careful because of the expected turbulence. The flight attendant reported about one-half of the passengers had been served beverages, and that she had returned to the galley for additional beverages. While in the galley, the flight experienced "pretty rough stuff real quick," and she fell against the wall. While attempting to set down the beverage tray, the flight crew chimed her. As she was attempting to replace the phone, the severe turbulence occurred. During the flight crew interview, the captain stated that the Area Forecast is always provided by the flight dispatcher. She did not recall its contents. She indicated that she was not aware of the direction and velocity of forecast winds aloft, nor the winds at altitude during the flight. It was her perception, and the first officer's perception, that their flight was the first to encounter the severe turbulence. The captain stated that she did not make any additional weather information requests at TRI because of what had just been observed on the flight from Charlotte. She said that updated weather was received from USAir, which did not contain anything that indicated a change in the turbulence condition. The area forecast issued by the National Weather Service, Miami, Florida, at 0445 on April 22, 1993, referenced Airmet Sierra. Airmet Sierra, issued at 0945 on April 22, 1993, indicated that the area through which Flight 5052 would traverse was forecast to have light to occasional moderate turbulence below 10,000 feet due to increasing west-northwesterly flow aloft. Low level wind shear was possible. Isolated severe turbulence was forecast across the western Carolinas-eastern Georgia after 1200-1400 with conditions continuing beyond 1600 through 2200. The area covered by the Airmet extended from 40 Nmi east of TRI to Elizabeth City, North Carolina, to 35 Nmi north of Vero Beach, Florida, to Panama City, Florida, to Albany, Georgia, to Chattanooga, Tennessee, to 40 Nmi east of TRI. Center Weather Advisory (CWA) 01, dated April 22, 1993, was issued at 1309. It stated that occasional severe turbulence below 10,000 feet with strong updrafts due to gusty north-northwest winds over rough terrain could be expected from 30 Nmi east of TRI to Greensboro, North Carolina, to 40 Nmi east of Chattanooga, Tennessee, to 30 Nmi east of TRI. The Director of Flight Operations for CCAIR was requested to provide a copy of the dispatch papers, including the weather information provided to the flight crew. A copy of the Airmet and CWA referenced above were not included in the dispatch papers. The Director of Flight Operations stated, during a telephone conversation on November 16, 1993, that flight crews were provided Airmets on a clipboard in the dispatcher's office when they are briefed for the flight. Since the CWA referenced above was issued after the flight departed Charlotte, it would have been issued at TRI. Subsequently, the Director of Flight Operations reviewed the weather information provided to the flight crew of Flight 5052 at TRI and determined that the CWA had not been made available. The Senior Director of Flight Safety, Jim Fogarty, was contacted. Captain Fogarty stated that USAir uses the Kavorous system to obtain weather information. According to him, Center Weather Advisories are included on the Kavorous system and are provided to the USAir dispatchers. The dispatcher in turn, provides the advisories to the appropriate flight crews. He also stated that USAir Express operators are provided the same weather information from the Kavorous system.
The failure of the operator to provide applicable weather information to the flight crew. Factors were the clear air turbulence, and the captain's failure to use the weather information and assistance that was available to her.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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