Boeing B767-287ER accident near Memphis, Tennessee, May 4, 1991
On May 4, 1991 at about 10:40 pm local time, a Boeing B767-287ER, registered N651US, was involved in an accident near Memphis, Tennessee. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured and 11 people had minor injuries; 104 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE DELAYED INFLIGHT DECISION BY THE PILOT TO MANEUVER THE AIRCRAFT AWAY FROM THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 4, 1991 · about 10:40 pm local time
- Place
- Memphis, Tennessee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 11 people had minor injuries; 104 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing B767-287ER
- Registration
- N651US · no longer on the register · serial 24764
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLIGHT WAS IN LEVEL CRUISE FLIGHT AT FL430. THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT LEVEL 6 THUNDERSTOM ACTIVITY IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY OF THE TOLSA VOR AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, AND SIGMETS HAD BEEN ISSUED TO AND RECEIVED BY THE FLIGHT CREW ADVISING OF THIS ACTIVITY. THE FLIGHT CREW STATED THAT THE ONLY WEATHER BEING DEPICTED BY THEIR ON BOARD WEATHER RADAR WAS 40 MILES FROM THEIR POSITION AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT AND NOT IN THEIR FLIGHT PATH. ACCORDING TO TRANSCRIPTS OF THEIR CONVERSATION WITH AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL PERSONNEL, APPROXIMATELY FIVE MILES WEST OF THE TULSA VOR AND TWO MINUTES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, THE FLIGHT CREW REQUESTED AND RECEIVED PERMISSION TO DEVIATE FROM THE ASSIGNED COURSE IN ORDER TO AVOID BUILDUPS IN THEIR FLIGHT PATH. THE FLIGHT ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURBULENCE FOR A PERIOD OF ABOUT 10 TO 20 SECONDS. THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED 3500 FEET BEFORE THE FLIGHT CREW WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT'S DESCENT. THE FLIGHT THEN DIVERTED TO MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE IN ORDER TO OBGAIN MEDICAL ATTENTION FOR THOSE PERSONS INJURED IN THE CABIN SECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT.
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: 18,500 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 407,000 lb
- Seats: 252
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Ge CF6-80C2-B2 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LAX Los Angeles CA at 8:09 pm
- Destination: CLT Charlotte NC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 15 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,500 ft; scat at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:45 pm from TUL, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 7 | ||
| Passengers | 1 | 10 | 97 |
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.