Boeing 747-122 N4723U

Summary

On 28 December 1997 at about 14:10 local time, a Boeing 747-122 registered N4723U was involved in an accident near Pacific Ocean. 393 people were on board and one died, 18 were seriously injured, 171 had minor injuries. The aircraft was slightly damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

28 December 1997 at 14:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Pacific Ocean

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Boeing 747-122

Registration

N4723U

Category

Airplane

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Narita → Honolulu

Aircraft damage

Minor

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Bright

NTSB number

DCA98MA015

1 person died.

The pilot-in-command's inadvertent flight into adverse weather conditions, and the difficulty of obtaining adequate weather forecasts of over-ocean turbulence. Factors contributing to the accident include the presence of clear air turbulence, and the failure of the flight attendant to issue a safety advisory.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The flightcrew inadvertently flew into an area of clear air turbulence. Weather forecasts indicated that there was not to be turbulence in the area where it was encountered. The ability to forecast clear air turbulence over the ocean is limited. In addition, the Japanese-speaking flight attendant did not fully translate one of the captain's instructions to fasten seat belts into Japanese, although such an announcement was made and translated several times prior to the turbulence encounter. Most of the passengers spoke only Japanese.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.