Boeing 737-200 accident near Jacksonville, Florida, April 17, 2001
On April 17, 2001 at about 12:30 pm local time, a Boeing 737-200, registered N253US, was involved in an accident near Jacksonville, Florida (Jacksonville Intl airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 76 others were unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight dispatcher failure to provide the flight crew with current in-flight turbulence information that resulted in the in-flight encounter with turbulence during climb. A factor was the pilots failure to obtain adequate weather information.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 17, 2001 · about 12:30 pm local time
- Place
- Jacksonville, Florida · Jacksonville Intl
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 76 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 737-200 · all 737-200s on the register
- Registration
- N253US · no longer on the register · serial 19972
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Approximately 12-15 minutes after takeoff during climb, flight 2686 experienced moderate turbulence. The seat belt sign was illuminated at the time. One of the flight attendants was thrown to the floor and received serious injuries during the encounter. According to the pilot, the flight crew was not informed of the 0736 pilot report of turbulence in the vicinity of the accident.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,663 hours in all; 12 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: February 15, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Flight time: 5,061 hours in all; 225 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 51,151 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, April 1, 2001
- Maximum gross weight: 117,500 lb
- Seats: 73
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT8D-9 (turbojet); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BWI Baltimore FL at 4:05 pm
- Destination: JAX Jacksonville FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 7, 8,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,600 ft; scat at 1,200 ft
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 4:06 pm from ORF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 1 | 3 | |
| Passengers | 73 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.