Primary finding
Probable cause
Failure of the passengers and flight attendants to comply with the flightcrew's instruction to fasten their seatbelts.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The airplane was in cruise flight and the captain had made an announcement for the passengers to fasten their seat belts and illuminated the cabin signs. The airplane encountered clear air turbulence, and 2 flight attendants and 20 passengers received minor injuries.
Source record
Factual narrative
On June 25, 1995, about 1214 Atlantic standard time, N13983, an Airbus A300-B4-103, operating as Continental Airlines flight No. 267, scheduled, domestic, passenger service from Newark, New Jersey, to San Juan, Puerto Rico, encountered severe turbulence over the Atlantic Ocean in the vicinity of Slapp intersection on airway Green 431. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed in the area and an IFR flight plan was filed. The airplane was not damaged. Two flight attendants and 20 passengers received minor injuries. The flight originated from Newark, New Jersey, about 0845 the same day. The captain stated that he made an announcement over the public address system for the passengers to return to their seats and fasten their seatbelts before the encounter with turbulence. The flight attendants also repeated the announcement in English and Spanish. Initial interviews with airline personnel has revealed that one of the minor injuries was to an infant when his mother lost hold of him in her lap. There was a total of eight lapborne infants, not listed on the manifest. A review of satellite imagery was conducted and the airplane was operating in an area of deformation zone wind shear that would not have been seen by the flightcrew visually nor on radar. This incident was intitialy classified as an accident due to the fact that one passenger remained in a local hospital for over 48 hours. Subsequent interviews with the passenger and her doctor revealed the continued hospitalization was not a result of her injuries. -