Mcdonnell Douglas MD-82 incident near Childress, Texas, June 3, 1996
On June 3, 1996 at about 11:05 pm local time, a Mcdonnell Douglas MD-82, registered N493AA, was involved in an incident near Childress, Texas. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 9 people had minor injuries; 59 others were unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The aircraft's encounter with unforcasted and unreported severe turbulence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 3, 1996 · about 11:05 pm local time
- Place
- Childress, Texas · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- 9 people had minor injuries; 59 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas MD-82
- Registration
- N493AA · no longer on the register · serial 49731
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
American Airlines Flight 722 originated from El Paso, Texas, and was en route to Chicago, Illinois. The aircraft was about 30 miles north of Childress, Texas, at FL330 when it encountered severe turbulence for approximately 5 seconds. The First Officer was flying the aircraft in IMC, and no cells were being painted on the aircraft's radar in the immediate area. The nearest cell being painted was approximately 20 miles right of track. The flight attendants were providing service to the passengers, the seat belt light was illuminated, and all passengers were seated. Convective sigmets 99C, 01C, and 02C were in effect for New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. The flight crew advised ATC and diverted to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Two flight attendants and seven passengers were taken to a local hospital, and were treated and released. An inspection of the aircraft revealed no damage, and it was released for flight.
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, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,583 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 150,500 lb
- Seats: 68
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT8D (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ELP El Paso TX at 9:55 pm
- Destination: ORD Chicago IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | 3 | ||
| Passengers | 7 | 56 |
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.