Boeing B-747-123 N9674

Summary

On 3 November 1988 at about 07:20 local time, a Boeing B-747-123 registered N9674 was involved in an accident near Bridgetown, Bahamas. 212 people were on board and one was seriously injured. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

3 November 1988 at 07:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Bridgetown, Bahamas

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Boeing B-747-123

Registration

N9674

Category

Airplane

Engines

4

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

New York → Rio de Janeiro

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

NYC89LA072

1 person was seriously injured.

THE FAILURE OF THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT TO NOTICE THAT THE ELEVATOR WAS NOT PRESENT AS SHE ENTERED THE ELEVATOR SHAFT AND PRIOR TO CLOSING THE DOOR.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT ENTERED THE ELEVATOR SHAFT, FAILED TO NOTICE THE ELEVATOR WAS NOT PRESENT AND CLOSED THE ELEVATOR DOOR BEHIND HER. AT THE SAME TIME A FLIGHT ATTENDANT ON THE UPPER DECK ENTERED THE ELEVATOR AND STARTED THE ELEVATOR DOWN. THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT BELOW THE ELEVATOR SCREAMED AND THE ELEVATOR WAS STOPPED THEN RETURNED TO THE UPPER LEVEL. THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT SUFFERED A LACREATED SCALP AND COMPRESSION OF THE T2 AND T5 VERTEBRAE. ACCORDING TO THE OPERATOR, THERE WERE VISUAL CUES PRESENT THAT WOULD INDICATE THE ELEVATOR WAS NOT PRESENT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.