Accident Boeing 747-135 N77772,
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Date:Tuesday 4 January 1972
Time:
Type:Silhouette image of generic B741 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Boeing 747-135
Owner/operator:National Airlines
Registration: N77772
MSN: 19918/68
Year of manufacture:1970
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 330
Aircraft damage: None
Category:Accident
Location:nr Lake Charles, LA -   United States of America
Phase: Take off
Nature:Passenger - Scheduled
Departure airport:Miami International Airport, FL (MIA/KMIA)
Destination airport:Los Angeles International Airport, CA (LAX/KLAX)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
National Airlines Flight 41, a Boeing 747-135, N77772, was a scheduled passenger nonstop flight, operating from Miami International Airport, Florida, to Los Angeles International Airport,
California.
Departure, climb, and initial cruise at assigned Flight Level 310 were routine.
At 1314 CST, approximately 50 miles southeast of Lake Charles, Louisiana, one jolt of turbulence was encountered. Crewmembers on the flight deck and in the forward section of the aircraft cabin described the jolt as light to moderate in intensity. In the rear cabin, the jolt was much more severe. Thirty-eight passengers and four stewardesses sustained injuries which ranged from minor to serious.
After determining that weather conditions in the immediate area were not favorable for landing, and after receiving assurance from two physicians attending to the injured that there would be no danger if more extensive treatment was not administered immediately, the captain decided to continue the flight to Los Angeles.
After requesting and receiving preferential air traffic control handling, Flight 41 proceeded to Los Angeles International Airport and landed at 14:25 PST.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was an encounter with sharp-gust convective turbulence during flight in instrument meteorological conditions while numerous occupants of the aircraft were unsecured by seatbelts even though the seatbelt sign was lighted. The Board also determines that a number of passengers were injured because priority was given by the stewardesses to regular passenger service duties rather than to the enforcement of seatbelt usage.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: LAX72AL043
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 7 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB-AAR-72-21

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
21-Oct-2016 17:51 harro Added
26-Feb-2020 13:40 harro Updated [Source, Accident report, ]

Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description

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