Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The failure of the flight attendants to maintain control of loose cabin service equipment, a salt shaker, that resulted in an uncorrected tripping hazard.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
On May 26, 1997, at 0505 Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), N768DL, a Lockheed L-1011-385-3, was enroute, from Atlanta to Amsterdam, Netherlands, when a flight attendant was seriously injured during the cruise phase of flight. The Delta Air Lines, scheduled, international, passenger flight, was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 121, with an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flight plan filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. One flight attendant was seriously injured, and the airline transport pilot, first officer, flight engineer, nine flight attendants, and 211 passengers sustained no injuries. The flight departed Atlanta at 2127 eastern daylight time (0127 GMT).
The flight was near Benbecula, a navaid on an island off the coast of Scotland, when the accident occurred. There was no report of turbulence. The sky was clear and the air was smooth. There were no mechanical problems reported with the aircraft. The A-Line flight attendant advised the Captain that one of the flight attendants had stepped on a salt shaker, in the First Class Galley, breaking her left ankle and cutting one of her fingers. The second officer administered First Aid. Paramedics met the flight at the destination.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ATL97LA075