Saab-Scania Ab (Saab) 340B accident near Ventura, California, December 11, 1997
On December 11, 1997 at about 1:35 pm local time, a Saab-Scania Ab (Saab) 340B, registered N329AE, was involved in an accident near Ventura, California. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured; 16 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Seat belt not used. A related factor was the unforecasted severe air turbulence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 11, 1997 · about 1:35 pm local time
- Place
- Ventura, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 16 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Saab-Scania Ab (Saab) 340B
- Registration
- N329AE · registry record · serial 340B-329
- 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 captain reported that 20 minutes into a smooth flight, and 10 minutes before landing, he felt some light chop so he turned on the seat belt sign. Shortly thereafter, they experienced sudden and violent severe turbulence, seriously injuring the flight attendant. At that time, the flight attendant had completed her service and was about to acknowledge the seat belt sign over the public-address system prior to her being seated for landing. According to the crew, no valid SIGMET was issued and no AIRMET or PIREPS were available.
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: 12,000 hours in all; 11,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,034 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, November 1, 1997; 236 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 27,000 lb
- Seats: 37
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Ge CT7 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SBA Santa Barbara CA at 1:10 pm
- Destination: LAX Los Angeles CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 060° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 pm from LAX, 32 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 2 | ||
| Passengers | 14 |
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.