Accident Boeing 767-222 N606UA, Tuesday 20 June 1995

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Date:	Tuesday 20 June 1995
Time:	18:10 LT
Type:	Boeing 767-222
Owner/operator:	United Airlines
Registration:	N606UA
MSN:	21867/9
Year of manufacture:	1982
Total airframe hrs:	47060 hours
Engine model:	P&W JT9D-7R4
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 148
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	None
Category:	Accident
Location:	Champagne, IL - United States of America
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Unknown
Departure airport:	New York, NY (KJFK)
Destination airport:	San Francisco, CA (SFO
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
While vectoring between two thunderstorm cells in IMC, the airplane momentarily entered into VMC, and the flightcrew saw a cumulus nimbus buildup directly ahead of their path. The captain stated that this buildup had not been displayed on their radar and the cell was too close to avoid. The captain immediately made an announcement for the flight attendants, who were in the process of serving the cabin, to be seated. He stated that there was not enough time for the flight attendants to react before the airplane penetrated the top of the buildup. The flight experienced ten seconds of severe turbulence and lost approximately 900 feet in altitude. Three of the nine flight attendants were seriously injured. One passenger, who was seated but had not had her seat belt fastened, was also seriously injured. The seat belt sign had been on for approximately eight to ten minutes prior to cell penetration.

Probable Cause: an in-flight encounter with turbulence.

Accident investigation: