Boeing 737-300 accident near Tallahassee, Florida, May 19, 1995
On May 19, 1995 at about 5:55 pm local time, a Boeing 737-300, registered N60312, was involved in an accident near Tallahassee, Florida. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured; 94 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF A PASSENGER TO COMPLY WITH FLIGHT CREW INSTRUCTIONS TO REMAIN SEATED WITH HER SEAT BELT FASTENED WHICH RESULTED IN HER BEING INJURED WHILE WALKING IN THE AISLE DURING A TURBULENCE ENCOUNTER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 19, 1995 · about 5:55 pm local time
- Place
- Tallahassee, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 94 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 737-300 · all 737-300s on the register
- Registration
- N60312 · no longer on the register · serial 23363
- 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 FLIGHT WAS OPERATING IN AN AREA OF LIGHT RADAR RETURNS. THE SEATBELT SIGN WAS ON AND PASSENGERS WERE INSTRUCTED TO REMAIN SEATED WITH THEIR SEATBELTS FASTENED. A PASSENGER LEFT HER SEAT AND WALKED TOWARD THE LAVATORY. THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT WHICH CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO LOSE 400 FEET OF ALTITUDE. THE PASSENGER BROKE HER RIGHT ANKLE DURING THE ENCOUNTER.
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 engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,800 hours in all; 8,000 in this make and model; 188 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 8,800 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 31,169 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, May 15, 1995; 37 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 135,000 lb
- Seats: 133
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cfm CFM56-3-1 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Continental Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: CLE Cleveland OH at 4:13 pm
- Destination: TPA Tampa FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 15 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,800 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:52 pm from TLH, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 5 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 89 |
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.