Douglas DC-9-31 accident near Augusta, Georgia, July 25, 1984
On July 25, 1984 at about 10:40 pm local time, a Douglas DC-9-31, registered N8978E, was involved in an accident near Augusta, Georgia. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured; 99 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 25, 1984 · about 10:40 pm local time
- Place
- Augusta, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 99 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Douglas DC-9-31 · all DC-9-31s on the register
- Registration
- N8978E · no longer on the register · serial 47327
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A TURBULENCE ENCOUNTER A PAX STANDING IN THE REAR OF THE CABIN FELL AND SUFFERED A FRACTURED LEG. THE SEAT BELT SIGN WAS ILLUMINATED FOR THE ENTIRE FLT. AT THE DIRECTION OF THE CAPT, IN-FLT SERVICE BY THE FLT ATTENDANTS WAS TERMINATED. THE INJURED PAX ASKED A FLT ATTD IF HE COULD SMOKE. HE WAS DIRECTED TO GO AFT TO A SEAT IN THE SMOKING SECTION. THE PAX WENT AFT BUT COULD NOT FIND A SUITABLE SEAT AND ELECTED TO STAND IN THE AISLE. BOTH FLT ATTDS WERE BUSY SECURING THE GALLEY AND WERE NOT AWARE OF THE STANDING PAX.
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; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,480 hours in all; 4,153 in this make and model; 187 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 104,000 lb
- Seats: 104
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT8D-7B (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CAE Columbia SC at 10:15 pm
- Destination: ATL Atlanta GA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:54 pm from AGS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 4 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 95 |
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 N8978E the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.