Accident ATR 72-212 N448AM, Saturday 8 February 2003

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Date:	Saturday 8 February 2003
Time:	19:04 LT
Type:	ATR 72-212
Owner/operator:	American Eagle Airlines
Registration:	N448AM
MSN:	448
Year of manufacture:	1995
Total airframe hrs:	16696 hours
Engine model:	Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127TM
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 62
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	None
Category:	Accident
Location:	San Juan, PR - Puerto Rico
Phase:	Unknown
Nature:	Passenger - Scheduled
Departure airport:	Barbados (KBGI)
Destination airport:	San Juan-Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU/TJSJ)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
According the airline's director of safety, the airplane had arrived at the terminal and was in the process of deplaning. The director of safety further stated that as the as the 53rd passenger in the sequence of 58 passengers exited the airplane, she grabbed the handrail at the top of the stairs, and the handrail collapsed. He said the passenger fell from the top of the stairs to the ground, and sustained serious injuries. Postincident examination of the hand rail and its locking mechanism did not reveal any anomalies.

Probable Cause: The aft passenger stair handrail collapsing due to undetermined reasons.

Accident investigation: