20091118054099A

Accident · No damage

FAA accident report · Boeing 777-222 · New Market, WV · November 18, 2009

Date: November 18, 2009 · 19:30 local
Place: New Market, WV
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: Air carrier (Part 121)
Operator: UALA
Damage: No damage
Aircraft: N209UA
NTSB investigation: NTSBDCA10FA012
Reported as: Boeing 777-222
Reported engine: Pratt & Whitney PW4000 series
People aboard: 200
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Airline transport
Pilot’s flight hours: 16,750 total2,369 in this make and model74 in the last 90 days

N209UARegistered now · Boeing 777-222S/N 30215 · Built 1999 Airframe modelBoeing 777-222 Engine modelPratt & Whitney PW4000 seriesTurbo-fan

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

While in cruise flight at FL 310, united flt. 976 encountered clear air turbulence (cat). Because ATC reported no turbulence ahead, the air was clear and smooth, the crew had turned off the seat belt sign. The turbulence was sudden and without warning, lasting for 10-15 secounds. Fortunately, out of 199 people on board, only two people reported an injury. One of the passengers was later found to have a broken ankle.

As the FAA filed it

WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT FL 310, UNITED FLT. 976 ENCOUNTERED CLEAR AIR TURBULENCE (CAT). BECAUSE ATC REPORTED NO TURBULENCE AHEAD, THE AIR WAS CLEAR AND SMOOTH, THE CREW HAD TURNED OFF THE SEAT BELT SIGN. THE TURBULENCE WAS SUDDEN AND WITHOUT WARNING, LASTING FOR 10-15 SECOUNDS. FORTUNATELY, OUT OF 199 PEOPLE ON BOARD, ONLY TWO PEOPLE REPORTED AN INJURY. ONE OF THE PASSENGERS WAS LATER FOUND TO HAVE A BROKEN 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.

NTSB DCA10FA012Accident · Serious injuriesField investigationFinal reportNew Market, VAThe flight crew’s inadvertent encounter with a small area of cumulous clouds at night that resulted in moderate to severe convectively induced turbulence.Nov 19, 2009 · No damage