Douglas DC-9-32 accident near Valdosta, Georgia, July 5, 1994
On July 5, 1994 at about 12:10 pm local time, a Douglas DC-9-32, registered N901VJ, was involved in an accident near Valdosta, Georgia. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured; 87 others were unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
AN ENCOUNTER WITH CLEAR AIR TURBULENCE THAT WAS NOT FORECAST NOR OBSERVABLE ON RADAR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 5, 1994 · about 12:10 pm local time
- Place
- Valdosta, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 87 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Douglas DC-9-32 · all DC-9-32s on the register
- Registration
- N901VJ · no longer on the register · serial 47275
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON EN ROUTE CLIMB THE DC-9 ENCOUNTERED ABOUT 1 MINUTE OF LIGHT TO MODERATE TURBULENCE. THE CAPTAIN ILLUMINATED THE FASTEN SEAT BELT LIGHT AND MADE AN ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THE PASSENGERS TO REMAIN SEATED, BUT THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS COULD CONTINUE CABIN SERVICE. ONE FLIGHT ATTENDANT WAS STANDING IN THE REAR GALLEY AND FELL, BREAKING HER LEG. EXAMINATION OF THE METEOROLOGICAL DATA AVAILABLE REVEALED NO THUNDERSTORMS OR CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY IN THE VICINITY THAT WOULD BE OBSERVABLE ON THE WEATHER AVOIDANCE RADAR.
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: 15,900 hours in all; 1,889 in this make and model; 233 in the last 90 days; 90 in the last 30 days; 9,900 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 100,800 lb
- Seats: 118
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT8D-7B (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Operator: Valujet Airlines INC.
The flight
- Departed from: ATL Atlanta GA at 11:50 am
- Destination: MCO Orlando FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 1.5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 am from VLD, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 4 | ||
| Passengers | 83 |
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.