Douglas DC-9-32 N948VV

Summary

On 7 May 1998 at about 23:20 local time, a Douglas DC-9-32 registered N948VV was involved in an accident near Calhoun, Georgia, United States. 87 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 May 1998 at 23:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Calhoun, Georgia, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Douglas DC-9-32

Registration

N948VV

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Atlanta → Chicago

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DCA98MA045

2 people were seriously injured.

The failure of the flight crew to maintain adequate separation from hazardous meteorological conditions. Factors contributing to the accident were: (1) the failure of AirTran Airlines to provide adequate crewmember training and guidance regarding hazardous weather encounters; (2) the failure of the flight crew to provide an adequate and timely briefing to the flight attendants regarding turbulence; and (3) the presence of hail and turbulence.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The properly certificated and qualified flight crew received flight release documents containing weather information from airline dispatch that was incomplete and did not contain pertinent Convective SIGMETs and a tornado watch bulletin. However, the flight crew stated that before departure, they looked at a computerized weather display and observed a line of adverse weather conditions along their intended route of flight. During initial climb after takeoff, the flight crew noticed that they were approaching a line of thunderstorms. The captain initially planned to fly around this line but noticed a 10-mile gap in the line that was depicted on the airplane's on-board weather radar display. The captain decided to fly through the gap, which he could also see when he looked outside of the airplane. The first officer did not challenge his decision. Both flight crewmembers stated that the weather radar was functioning normally. It is unknown exactly what was depicted on the aircraft radar. Radar and weather data indicate that the airplane penetrated an extreme weather echo (VIP level 6) that likely contained a severe thunderstorm, hail, and severe to extreme turbulence. The thunderstorm top was above 45,000 feet. Neither the flight attendants nor the passengers received an adequate or timely briefing to remain seated and to prepare for the possibility of turbulence. The aft flight attendant and a passenger were seriously injured during the turbulence encounter. Hail shattered the front windshield and damaged the pitot system, radome, wings, tail, and engines. The flight crew successfully performed an emergency landing at a nearby airport. The investigation revealed that the captain had been involved in two other air carrier incidents involving adverse weather conditions. It also revealed that the airline lacked adequate training and guidance regarding hazardous weather interpretation and avoidance, as well as adequate procedures to notify flight attendants about potential turbulence. According to FAA guidance, flight crews should avoid intense or extreme level radar echoes by at least 20 miles. This guidance also instructs pilots that such echoes should be separated by at least 40 miles before flight is attempted between the echoes.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.