Boeing 767-2B7 incident near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, February 20, 1996
On February 20, 1996 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Boeing 767-2B7, registered N656US, was involved in an incident near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 7 people had minor injuries; 140 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the in-flight encounter with unforecast turbulence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 20, 1996 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- 7 people had minor injuries; 140 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 767-2B7 · all 767-2B7s on the register
- Registration
- N656US · no longer on the register · serial 26847
- 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 airplane was approaching the destination at 10,000 feet msl in a thin cloud layer, when it encountered moderate turbulence. The flight continued, and landed at the destination airport without further incident. The flightcrew reported that the seatbelt sign was illuminated and the arrival PA announcement had been made, when the turbulence encounter occurred. The turbulence was unforecast.
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: 24,115 hours in all; 1,567 in this make and model; 186 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 352,200 lb
- Seats: 226
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BOS Boston MA at 9:05 pm
- Destination: PIT
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 100° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,600 ft; scat at 700 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:30 pm from PIT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 6 | 2 | ||
| Passengers | 1 | 138 |
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.