What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-19) On February 25, 2001, at 2155 hours PST, skywest airlines flight 7915, an Embraer 120 brasilia, N288SW, expereinced an abrupt pitch change during descent into Monterey, California. The lone cabin attendant in the aft end of the airplane was thrown to the floor and sustained a broken ankle. Skywest airlines, inc. was operating the airplane as a scheduled domestic passenger flight under the provisions of 14 CFR part 121. The certificated airline transport pilot captain, first officer, and 30 passengers were not injured. The flight departed los angeles, California, about 2100 as a non-stop to Monterey. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. An IFR flight plan had been filed. According to the captains's irregularity report, the autopilot was engaged, and as the airplane descended through 10,000 feet MSL, the nose pitched down 10 degrees, then pitched back up. The flight attendantwas standing in the rear of the cabin area and was thrown to the floor by the manuever. The captain's attempts to establish contact with the flight attendant were unsuccessful;however, a passenger, who was a nurse, notified the captain that the flight attendant was injured. (-23) on descent through 10,000 feet with the autopilot engaged, the aircraft pitched down to approximately 10 degrees violently, then pitched back up. The flight attendant, leah e. villagran, was lifted off her feet, then came down breaking her ankle.
As the FAA filed it
(-19) ON FEBRUARY 25, 2001, AT 2155 HOURS PST, SKYWEST AIRLINES FLIGHT 7915, AN EMBRAER 120 BRASILIA, N288SW, EXPEREINCED AN ABRUPT PITCH CHANGE DURING DESCENT INTO MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA. THE LONE CABIN ATTENDANT IN THE AFT END OF THE AIRPLANE WAS THROWN TO THE FLOOR AND SUSTAINED A BROKEN ANKLE. SKYWEST AIRLINES, INC. WAS OPERATING THE AIRPLANE AS A SCHEDULED DOMESTIC PASSENGER FLIGHT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 121. THE CERTIFICATED AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT CAPTAIN, FIRST OFFICER, AND 30 PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ABOUT 2100 AS A NON-STOP TO MONTEREY. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. ACCORDING TO THE CAPTAINS'S IRREGULARITY REPORT, THE AUTOPILOT WAS ENGAGED, AND AS THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED THROUGH 10,000 FEET MSL, THE NOSE PITCHED DOWN 10 DEGREES, THEN PITCHED BACK UP. THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTWAS STANDING IN THE REAR OF THE CABIN AREA AND WAS THROWN TO THE FLOOR BY THE MANUEVER. THE CAPTAIN'S ATTEMPTS TO ESTABLISH CONTACT WITH THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL;HOWEVER, A PASSENGER, WHO WAS A NURSE, NOTIFIED THE CAPTAIN THAT THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT WAS INJURED. (-23) ON DESCENT THROUGH 10,000 FEET WITH THE AUTOPILOT ENGAGED, THE AIRCRAFT PITCHED DOWN TO APPROXIMATELY 10 DEGREES VIOLENTLY, THEN PITCHED BACK UP. THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT, LEAH E. VILLAGRAN, WAS LIFTED OFF HER FEET, THEN CAME DOWN BREAKING HER ANKLE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.