# Accident 20100219028409A: Boeing 747-422, February 19, 2010

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 19, 2010, 13:52 local time
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: Air carrier (Part 121)
- Operator: UALA
- Location: 61.1744° N, 149.9964° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.1744&lon=-149.9964&mi=10
- Aircraft: N173UA, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N173UA-2012-01-09) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Boeing 747-422 (registry code 1384935, https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-747-422) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney PW4000 series (registry code 52119, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-pw4000-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BOEING 747-422
- Reported engine: P&W PW4000 SER
- People aboard: 275
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 25
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport
- Pilot flight hours: 13,594 total, 1,732 in this make and model, 93 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB DCA10CA032](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA10CA032) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100219028409A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

UA 897 IAD-NRT ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURBULENCE IN THE ANCHORAGE FIR.  THE FLIGHT WAS EXPERIENCING MODERATE TURBULENCE AND ASKED FOR LOWER ALTITUDE DUE TO A REPORTED SMOOTH RIDE FROM AN AIRCRAFT AHEAD OF THEM.  ON THE DESCENT THEY ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURBULENCE.  16 PASSENGER AND 9 FLIGHT ATTENDANT REPORTED MINOR INJURIES.  THERE WAS A PASSENGER THAT IDENTIFIED THEMSELVES AS A MEDIC AND WAS USED TO HELP DETERMINE THE SEVERITY OF EACH INJURY.  THE FLIGHT CONTINUED ON TO NRT.  AT NRT, THE INJURED PEOPLE WERE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL WHERE ALL BUT ONE FLIGHT ATTENDANT WERE RELEASED.  THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT HAD A FRACTURED RIB.SEVERE TURBULENCE INSPECTION HAD BEEN COMPLETED AND DOCUMENTED.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB DCA10CA032](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA10CA032), Feb 19, 2010: Boeing 747 (N173UA), Anchorage, AK, minor damage. Probable cause: an inadvertent encounter with clear air turbulence.

## Other reports on N173UA (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20110729023949A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110729023949A), Jul 29, 2011: Boeing 747-422 (N173UA), No damage. Prior to the turbulence event, the captain had the weather radar on and determined that it was safe for the flight attendants to get up and start their…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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