Aerospatiale ATR 42-300 accident near Atlantic Ocean, AO, April 26, 2001
On April 26, 2001 at about 6:35 pm local time, a Aerospatiale ATR 42-300, registered N223AT, was involved in an accident near Atlantic Ocean, AO. It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured; 11 others were unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The in-flight encounter with moderate to severe turbulence in clouds resulting in the serious injury to the flight attendant. A contributing factor in the accident was the poor in-flight planning by the captain for his allowing beverage service to continue after being advised by ATC of an area of turbulence that was approximately 4 minutes ahead of their position.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 26, 2001 · about 6:35 pm local time
- Place
- Atlantic Ocean, AO
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 11 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale ATR 42-300
- Registration
- N223AT · registry record · serial 223
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The captain reported that while flying at 16000 feet in visual flight rules conditions with scattered precipitation, air traffic control (ATC) advised of an area of turbulence that was located approximately 25 to 30 miles from their present position. The flight crew was advised of a heading to fly which led the airplane into a cloud that was not depicted on the weather avoidance radar. "In this cloud we encountered moderate to severe turbulence...." According to the American Eagle Safety/Flight Service Trip Report (FSTR) which is an attachment to this report, "[flight attendant] Alvarez was finishing her beverage service and they hit turbulence. She flew into the air twice and cart came down on her right leg. She was on her way to the galley to stow cart." The captain also reported that the autopilot which was on at the time, did not disengage. A passenger who is an emergency medical technician (EMT), attended to the passenger and was assisted initially by the first officer. A medical emergency was declared and the flight continued to the destination airport and landed uneventfully. The first report to ATC occurred at 1448 local, when, while approaching the JUNUR intersection, a flightcrew member declared a medical emergency and advised the controller that the flight had encountered turbulence 50 miles back.
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, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,100 hours in all; 1,600 in this make and model; 215 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 5,500 as pilot in command; 1,015 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 1, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,800 hours in all; 3,300 in this make and model; 240 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 4,000 as pilot in command; 3,200 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 27, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 19,375 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, April 10, 2001; 932 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 37,632 lb
- Seats: 46
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PW120 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: American Eagle Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: MEYF Georgetown at 5:55 pm
- Destination: KMIA Miami FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 12 knots
- Sky: broken clouds at 22,000 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:00 pm from MYNN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 2 | ||
| Passengers | 9 |
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.