Accident McDonnell Douglas MD-82 N33502, Wednesday 1 October 1997

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Date:	Wednesday 1 October 1997
Time:	20:44 LT
Type:	McDonnell Douglas MD-82
Owner/operator:	American Airlines
Registration:	N33502
MSN:	49739/1649
Year of manufacture:	1989
Total airframe hrs:	23882 hours
Engine model:	P&W JT8D
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 95
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	None
Category:	Accident
Location:	Cross City, FL - United States of America
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Passenger - Scheduled
Departure airport:	Chicago, IL (KORD)
Destination airport:	Tampa, FL (KTPA)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
During cruise flight at flight level 330, while deviating to the right to avoid a nearby thunderstorm of level 6 intensity, the flight encountered turbulence that seriously injured a flight attendant. As reported by the captain, the moderate turbulence lasted about 1 second. At that time the seat belt sign was not illuminated. About 2 minutes after the accident, the Jacksonville Air Route Traffic Control Center Weather Service Unit issued a center weather advisory which indicated a thunderstorm with moderate rain, tops to flight level 450, 20 nautical miles in diameter. When plotted, the location was located about 23 nautical miles from the accident location.

Probable Cause: The in-flight encounter with turbulence associated with a nearby level 6 thunderstorm with moderate rain while deviating.

Accident investigation: