Airbus Industrie A-300B4-605R accident near Atlantic Ocean, AO, January 17, 1996
On January 17, 1996 at about 7:38 pm local time, a Airbus Industrie A-300B4-605R, registered N7076A, suffered minor damage in an accident near Atlantic Ocean, AO. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 3 people were seriously injured and 17 people had minor injuries; 248 others were unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the turbulence and failure of the passengers to have their seat belts fastened. A factor relating to this accident was: the failure of the aircraft operator to advise the flight crew of forecast active intensifying thunderstorm conditions in the area of the accident.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 17, 1996 · about 7:38 pm local time
- Place
- Atlantic Ocean, AO
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured and 17 people had minor injuries; 248 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Airbus Industrie A-300B4-605R A300B4-605 · all A-300B4-605Rs on the register
- Registration
- N7076A · no longer on the register · serial 610
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight climbed to 33,000 feet after departure, where it encountered turbulence. The captain turned on the seat belt sign and announcements were made to the passengers to remain seated with their seat belts fastened. ATC informed the pilots that other pilots reported smoother air at 27,000 and 35,000 feet. They descended to 27,000 feet, encountered turbulence and then requested 35,000 feet. After reaching 35,000 feet, they encountered greater turbulence and requested and received clearance to 33,000 feet. During descent, they encountered severe turbulence which resulted in injuries to passengers. A SIGMET had been issued by the National Weather Service for active intensifying thunderstorms at the point of the turbulence encounter. The weather information supplied to the pilots by the operator did not contain this SIGMET; however, it did contain a company forecast for possible isolated thunderstorms within showers as indicated in the flight release.
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: 4,113 hours in all; 2,359 in this make and model; 2,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, January 17, 1996; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 377,800 lb
- Seats: 280
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Ge CF6-80C2A5 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MIA Miami FL at 7:01 pm
- Destination: SJU San Juan PR
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:00 pm from MYN, 124 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 9 | |||
| Passengers | 3 | 17 | 239 |
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.