Douglas DC-9-15F accident near Memphis, Tennessee, May 22, 1982
On May 22, 1982 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Douglas DC-9-15F, registered N9356, was involved in an accident near Memphis, Tennessee (Memphis International airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured; 56 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 22, 1982 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Memphis, Tennessee · Memphis International
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 56 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Douglas DC-9-15F · all DC-9-15Fs on the register
- Registration
- N9356 · no longer on the register · serial 47086
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BEFORE TAKEOFF, THE AIRCREW RECEIVED WEATHER DATA THAT INCLUDED A FORECAST FOR A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH. WHILE EN ROUTE, THE CAPTAIN ELECTED TO LEAVE THE SEAT BELT SIGN ON FOR THE ENTIRE FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT WAS ROUTINE UNTIL A DESCENT WAS STARTED INTO THE DESTINATION. THE CAPTAIN STATED THAT HE WAS NOT RECEIVING ANY RADAR RETURNS, BUT BASED ON HIS OBSERVATION, HE THOUGHT THAT THE WEATHER MIGHT BECOME BUMPY. HE ANNOUNCED ON THE PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEM THAT DURING THE DESCENT, CHOPPY AIR MAY BE ENCOUNTERED. HE DIRECTED THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS TO DISCONTINUE CABIN SERVICE, SECURE THE CABIN, AND RETURN TO THEIR STATIONS. ALSO, HE REQUESTED ALL PASSENGERS TO REMAIN SEATED WITH THEIR SEAT BELTS SECURELY FASTENED. THE "A" FLIGHT ATTENDANT SECURED THE GALLEY AND TOOK HER SEAT. HOWEVER, THE "B" FLIGHT ATTENDANT WAS GOING TO HER SEAT WHEN TURBULENCE WAS ENCOUNTERED. AT THAT TIME, SHE LOST HER BALANCE, HIT THE CEILING, AND THEN LANDED ON THE FLOOR WITH AN INJURED NECK AND RIGHT FOOT.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 19,561 hours in all; 10,170 in this make and model; 225 in the last 90 days; 77 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 38,442 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 136 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 141,000 lb
- Seats: 80
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT8D-7B (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Operator: Republic Airlines, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: Huntsville AL at 2:05 pm
- Destination: Memphis TN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 156°F (69°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:54 pm from MEM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 4 | ||
| Passengers | 52 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N9356 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL82DA142.