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National Transportation Safety Board NTSB ID: ATL00LA092 Aircraft Registration Number: N853AS

FACTUAL REPORT Occurrence Date: 09/17/2000 Most Critical Injury: Serious

AVIATION Occurrence Type: Accident Investigated By: NTSB

Location/Time
Nearest City/Place State Zip Code Local Time Time Zone
ATLANTA GA 30303 1820 EDT

Airport Proximity: Off Airport/Airstrip Distance From Landing Facility:

Aircraft Information Summary

Aircraft Manufacturer Model/Series Type of Aircraft

Bombardier CRJ /CRJ Airplane

Revenue Sightseeing Flight: No Air Medical Transport Flight: No

Narrative
Brief narrative statement of facts, conditions and circumstances pertinent to the accident/incident:
On September 17, 2000, at 1820 eastern daylight time, a Bombardier CRJ, N853AS, encountered
in-flight turbulence at Flight Level (FL) 260 while enroute to Atlanta Hartsfield International
Airport, in Atlanta, Georgia. The airplane was operated by Atlantic Southeast Airlines as Flight
4583 under the provisions of Title 14, CFR Part 121, and instrument flight rules. Visual
meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed.
The Airline Transport Captain, First Officer and 48 passengers were not injured, the Flight
Attendant for the flight sustained serious injuries. The airplane did not receive any damage. The
flight had originated from the Worcester Regional Airport in Worcester, Massachusetts, at 1615.

According to the Captain and Flight Attendant, the flight from Worcester, Massachusetts, was smooth
at FL350 until passing the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area, at which time an area of light to
moderate turbulence was encountered. The Captain instructed the Flight Attendant to take her seat
and turned on the fasten seat belt sign. Flight altitude was changed three times looking for a
smoother ride. The flight would shift from relatively smooth air for two or three minutes to
moderate turbulence for one to two minutes. After entering an area of smooth air, the Flight
Attendant continued her duties of preparing the cabin for landing. Without warning, the airplane
entered another area of turbulence and the Flight Attendant was thrown about the cabin, injuring
her ankles. The Captain called ahead for medical assistance to meet the airplane at the gate while
the First Officer went back to check on the Flight Attendant's condition. The flight landed in
Atlanta and medical personnel met the plane at the gate. Subsequent medical reports revealed that
the Flight Attendant sustained a broken left ankle and a sprained right ankle. No mechanical
problems with the airplane were reported by the flight crew, and weather at the time was winds 240
degrees, and 15 knots, with light to moderate turbulence.

FACTUAL REPORT - AVIATION Page 1

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NTSB ID: ATL00LA092

National Transportation Safety Board

FACTUAL REPORT Occurrence Date: 09/17/2000

AVIATION Occurrence Type: Accident

Landing Facility/Approach Information

Airport Name Airport ID: Airport Elevation Runway Used Runway Length Runway Width

Ft. MSL 0

Runway Surface Type:

Runway Surface Condition:

Approach/Arrival Flown: NONE

VFR Approach/Landing: None

Aircraft Information
Aircraft Manufacturer Model/Series Serial Number
Bombardier CRJ /CRJ 7374

Airworthiness Certificate(s): Transport

Landing Gear Type: Retractable - Tricycle

Amateur Built Acft? No
Engine Type:
Turbo Jet
- Aircraft Inspection Information
Type of Last Inspection
Number of Seats: 53 Certified Max Gross Wt. 51000 LBS Number of Engines: 2
Engine Manufacturer: Model/Series: Rated Power:
GE CF34-3B1
Date of Last Inspection Time Since Last Inspection Airframe Total Time

Continuous Airworthiness 298 Hours 3829 Hours

- Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) Information

ELT Installed?/Type Yes / ELT Operated? No ELT Aided in Locating Accident Site?

Owner/Operator Information
Registered Aircraft Owner Street Address
180 HARTSFIELD CENTRE PKWY
ATLANTIC SOUTHEAST AIRLINES City State Zip Code
ATLANTA GA 30354
Street Address
Operator of Aircraft 180 HARTSFIELD CENTRE PKWY
City State Zip Code
ATLANTIC SOUTHEAST AIRLINES
ATLANTA GA 30354
Operator Does Business As: DELTA CONNECTION Operator Designator Code: ASOB
- Type of U.S. Certificate(s) Held:
Air Carrier Operating Certificate(s): Commuter Air Carrier; Flag Carrier/Domestic

Operating Certificate: Operator Certificate:

Regulation Flight Conducted Under: Part 121: Air Carrier

Type of Flight Operation Conducted: Unknown;Scheduled; Domestic; Passenger/Cargo

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National Transportation Safety Board NTSB ID: ATL00LA092

FACTUAL REPORT Occurrence Date: 09/17/2000

AVIATION Occurrence Type: Accident

First Pilot Information

Name City State Date of Birth Age

On File On File On File On File 59

Sex: M Seat Occupied: Left Occupational Pilot? Civilian Pilot Certificate Number: On File

Certificate(s): Airline Transport; Commercial

Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land

Rotorcraft/Glider/LTA: None

Instrument Rating(s): Airplane

Instructor Rating(s): None

Current Biennial Flight Review?

Medical Cert.: Class 1 Medical Cert. Status: Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim. Date of Last Medical Exam: 06/2000

This Make Airplane Airplane Instrument Lighter

All A/C
- Flight Time Matrix and Model Single Engine Mult-Engine
Night
Actual Simulated
Rotorcraft Glider
Than Air

Total Time 15860

Pilot In Command(PIC)

Instructor

Instruction Received

Last 90 Days

Last 30 Days

Last 24 Hours

Seatbelt Used? Yes Shoulder Harness Used? No Toxicology Performed? No Second Pilot? Yes

Flight Plan/Itinerary
Type of Flight Plan Filed: IFR
Departure Point State Airport Identifier Departure Time Time Zone

WORCESTER MA ORH 1615 EDT

Destination State Airport Identifier

ALTANTA GA ATL

Type of Clearance: IFR

Type of Airspace: Class A

Weather Information
Source of Wx Information:

Company

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National Transportation Safety Board NTSB ID: ATL00LA092

FACTUAL REPORT Occurrence Date: 09/17/2000

AVIATION Occurrence Type: Accident

Weather Information
WOF ID Observation Time Time Zone WOF Elevation WOF Distance From Accident Site Direction From Accident Site

ATL 1853 EDT 1026 Ft. MSL 0 NM 0 Deg. Mag.

Sky/Lowest Cloud Condition: Scattered 20000 Ft. AGL Condition of Light: Day

Lowest Ceiling: Broken 25000 Ft. AGL Visibility: 10 SM Altimeter: 30.00 "Hg

Temperature: 18 ° C Dew Point: 9 °C Weather Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions

Wind Direction: 70 Wind Speed: 9 Wind Gusts:

Visibility (RVR): 0 Ft. Visibility (RVV) 0 SM

Precip and/or Obscuration:

Accident Information
Aircraft Damage: None Aircraft Fire: None Aircraft Explosion None

- Injury Summary Matrix Fatal Serious Minor None TOTAL

First Pilot 1 1
Second Pilot 1 1
Student Pilot

Flight Instructor

Check Pilot

Flight Engineer

Cabin Attendants 1 1
Other Crew

Passengers 48 48
- TOTAL ABOARD - 1 50 51
Other Ground 0 0 0 0
- GRAND TOTAL - 0 1 0 50 51

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NTSB ID: ATL00LA092

National Transportation Safety Board

FACTUAL REPORT Occurrence Date: 09/17/2000

AVIATION Occurrence Type: Accident

Administrative Information
Investigator-In-Charge (IIC)
BUTCH WILSON

Additional Persons Participating in This Accident/Incident Investigation:

TOM MCNAMARA
ATLANTA, GA

FACTUAL REPORT - AVIATION Page 5