What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19)On June 15, 2001, about 1945 hours pacific daylight time, a flight attendant sustained serious injuries on an Airbus industrie A320, N661AW, operating as america west flight number 186, while descending for an approach into San Diego, California. America west airlines was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR part 121. The remaining airline transport pilot captain, first officer, 2 flight attendants, and 137 passengers were not injured. The regularly scheduled domestic passenger flight departed phoenix, Arizona, about 1900 mountain standard time as a non-stop flight to San Diego. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed and an IFR flight plan had been filed. According to the flight safety office at america west, the flight was inbound to San Diego and descending through 13,000 feet near pillo intersection when a flight attendant in the aft cabin fell and struck her head. According to the injured flight attendant, the flight crew initiated a sudden descent, which caused her to lose her balance and fall. The captain reported to the airline that air traffic control had held them at 13,000 feet for traffic reasons until just before they reached pillo interse ction, then cleared the flight to descend on the standard arrival route. Pillo intersection is about 39 miles from the airport. (-23) america west flight 186 from phx to san. With the "fasten seat belt" light on and while on descent passing through 13,000 feet, with an ATC clearance to cross pillo intersection, at 10,000 feet, flight attendant angela ferguson who was in the middle cabin of the A320, N661AW, fell striking her head. Ferguson was unconscious for a few minutes and with the assistance of the other flight attendants, was moved to first class section where she remained for landing. The aircraft was met by paramedics and ferguson was taken to a local hospital.
As the FAA filed it
(.19)ON JUNE 15, 2001, ABOUT 1945 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A FLIGHT ATTENDANT SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES ON AN AIRBUS INDUSTRIE A320, N661AW, OPERATING AS AMERICA WEST FLIGHT NUMBER 186, WHILE DESCENDING FOR AN APPROACH INTO SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA. AMERICA WEST AIRLINES WAS OPERATING THE AIRPLANE UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 121. THE REMAINING AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT CAPTAIN, FIRST OFFICER, 2 FLIGHT ATTENDANTS, AND 137 PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED. THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED DOMESTIC PASSENGER FLIGHT DEPARTED PHOENIX, ARIZONA, ABOUT 1900 MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME AS A NON-STOP FLIGHT TO SAN DIEGO. INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. ACCORDING TO THE FLIGHT SAFETY OFFICE AT AMERICA WEST, THE FLIGHT WAS INBOUND TO SAN DIEGO AND DESCENDING THROUGH 13,000 FEET NEAR PILLO INTERSECTION WHEN A FLIGHT ATTENDANT IN THE AFT CABIN FELL AND STRUCK HER HEAD. ACCORDING TO THE INJURED FLIGHT ATTENDANT, THE FLIGHT CREW INITIATED A SUDDEN DESCENT, WHICH CAUSED HER TO LOSE HER BALANCE AND FALL. THE CAPTAIN REPORTED TO THE AIRLINE THAT AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL HAD HELD THEM AT 13,000 FEET FOR TRAFFIC REASONS UNTIL JUST BEFORE THEY REACHED PILLO INTERSE CTION, THEN CLEARED THE FLIGHT TO DESCEND ON THE STANDARD ARRIVAL ROUTE. PILLO INTERSECTION IS ABOUT 39 MILES FROM THE AIRPORT. (-23) AMERICA WEST FLIGHT 186 FROM PHX TO SAN. WITH THE "FASTEN SEAT BELT" LIGHT ON AND WHILE ON DESCENT PASSING THROUGH 13,000 FEET, WITH AN ATC CLEARANCE TO CROSS PILLO INTERSECTION, AT 10,000 FEET, FLIGHT ATTENDANT ANGELA FERGUSON WHO WAS IN THE MIDDLE CABIN OF THE A320, N661AW, FELL STRIKING HER HEAD. FERGUSON WAS UNCONSCIOUS FOR A FEW MINUTES AND WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE OTHER FLIGHT ATTENDANTS, WAS MOVED TO FIRST CLASS SECTION WHERE SHE REMAINED FOR LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT WAS MET BY PARAMEDICS AND FERGUSON WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL HOSPITAL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.