What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The event took place approximately 20 NM south of Kinston (iso), at 16:01Z. The flight was experiencing moderate turbulence at FL350 and the crew requested a lower altitude. Air traffic only approved a descent to FL330 due to opposite direction traffic at FL320 (nwa 1789, an Airbus A319). The dfdr indicates that during the descent a TCAS ra event occurred alerting the crew to "monitor vertical speed". The TCAS ra occurred when the vertical separation between the two aircraft was approximately 1300 feet. The dfdr also indicates that at approximately the same time as the TCAS ra event the aircraft's vertical speed went from a 2,000 fpm descent to a 900 fpm climb to a 2,400 fpm descent to a 180 fpm climb within 7 seconds. During this event a flight attendant and a passenger, who were not seated, were injured. After NWA1789 was clear the flight was instructed by ATC to descend to FL310. The 300MB jet stream chart shows the southern boundary of the jet stream over north carolina.
As the FAA filed it
THE EVENT TOOK PLACE APPROXIMATELY 20 NM SOUTH OF KINSTON (ISO), AT 16:01Z. THE FLIGHT WAS EXPERIENCING MODERATE TURBULENCE AT FL350 AND THE CREW REQUESTED A LOWER ALTITUDE. AIR TRAFFIC ONLY APPROVED A DESCENT TO FL330 DUE TO OPPOSITE DIRECTION TRAFFIC AT FL320 (NWA 1789, AN AIRBUS A319). THE DFDR INDICATES THAT DURING THE DESCENT A TCAS RA EVENT OCCURRED ALERTING THE CREW TO "MONITOR VERTICAL SPEED". THE TCAS RA OCCURRED WHEN THE VERTICAL SEPARATION BETWEEN THE TWO AIRCRAFT WAS APPROXIMATELY 1300 FEET. THE DFDR ALSO INDICATES THAT AT APPROXIMATELY THE SAME TIME AS THE TCAS RA EVENT THE AIRCRAFT'S VERTICAL SPEED WENT FROM A 2,000 FPM DESCENT TO A 900 FPM CLIMB TO A 2,400 FPM DESCENT TO A 180 FPM CLIMB WITHIN 7 SECONDS. DURING THIS EVENT A FLIGHT ATTENDANT AND A PASSENGER, WHO WERE NOT SEATED, WERE INJURED. AFTER NWA1789 WAS CLEAR THE FLIGHT WAS INSTRUCTED BY ATC TO DESCEND TO FL310. THE 300MB JET STREAM CHART SHOWS THE SOUTHERN BOUNDARY OF THE JET STREAM OVER NORTH CAROLINA.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.