# Accident 20120918023459A: Airbus Industrie A330-323, Sophia, NC, September 18, 2012

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 18, 2012, 12:30 local time
- Place: Sophia, NC
- Damage: No damage
- Phase of flight: Descent
- Operating rules: Air carrier (Part 121)
- Operator: USAA
- Location: 35.0000° N, 79.0000° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.0000&lon=-79.0000&mi=10
- Aircraft: N273AY, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N273AY-2024-01-04) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Airbus Industrie A330-323 (registry code 3930335, https://openairdocs.org/model/airbus-industrie-a330-323) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney PW4168A (registry code 51510, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-pw4168a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AIRBUS INDUSTRIE A330-323
- Reported engine: P & W PW4168A
- People aboard: 303
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 3
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB DCA12CA149](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA12CA149) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120918023459A

## Narrative

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

AS REPORTED BY USAATHIS WAS JUST AN EMPLOYEE ILLNESS/INJURY TILL  THE "C" FLIGHT ATTENDANT RECEIVED A FRACTURE TO THE DISTAL TIBIA AT THE MEDIAL AND LATERAL MALLEOLI. 19 SEP 2012.ON SEPTEMBER 18TH, 2012 AT APPROXIMATELY 1631Z, FLIGHT 707 OPERATING AIRCRAFT N273AY FROM FRANKFURT, GERMANY (FRA) TO CHARLOTTE, NC (CLT) ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURBULENCE ON DESCENT INTO CLT. DURING THE ENCOUNTER, A FLIGHT ATTENDANT WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED. ON DESCENT INTO CLT THE FLIGHT CREW RECEIVED AN ACARS MESSAGE FROM THE COMPANY DISPATCHER HANDLING THE FLIGHT. THE DISPATCHER INDICATED THAT A SIGMET WAS ISSUED FOR THE NORTH CAROLINA AREA WITH STRONG WINDS AND EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS. THE INTERNATIONAL RELIEF OFFICER (IRO) CONTACTED THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS TO ADVISE THEM THEY WOULD BE ENTERING AN AREA OF POSSIBLE TURBULENCE IN APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES. AN ANNOUNCEMENT WAS ALSO MADE TO THE PASSENGERS OVER THE PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEM ADVISING THEM TO REMAIN SEATED AND FASTEN THEIR SEAT BELTS. THE SEAT BELT SIGN WAS ILLUMINATED. THE AIRPLANE WAS DESCENDING THROUGH APPROXIMATELY 16,000 FEET WHEN IT ENTERED THE CLOUDS AND ENCOUNTERED MODERATE TURBULENCE. IN THE CABIN, THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS BEGAN PREPARING THE CABIN FOR ARRIVAL AFTER RECEIVING THE TURBULENCE ADVISORY FROM THE IRO. SEVERAL FLIGHT ATTENDANTS WERE STILL OUT OF THEIR SEATS COLLECTING SERVICE ITEMS AND SECURING THE GALLEY WHEN THE TURBULENCE ENCOUNTER OCCURRED. THE "C" FLIGHT ATTENDANT WAS SECURING THE AFT GALLEY DURING THE ENCOUNTER. SHE WAS LIFTED INTO THE AIR, FELL BACK DOWN ONTO THE CABIN FLOOR, AND LANDED ON HER BACK. THE "D" AND "G" FLIGHT ATTENDANTS ALSO SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE FLIGHT CREW CONTACTED THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS AFTER THE ENCOUNTER AND WERE NOTIFIED OF THEIR INJURIES. THE FLIGHT CREW ARRANGED FOR PARAMEDICS TO MEET THE FLIGHT AND REMOVE THE INJURED FLIGHT ATTENDANTS. THE "C" FLIGHT ATTENDANT RECEIVED A FRACTURE TO THE DISTAL TIBIA AT THE MEDIAL AND LATERAL MALLEOLI.

## 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 DCA12CA149](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA12CA149), Sep 18, 2012: Airbus Industrie A330-323 (N273AY), Sophia, NC, no damage. Probable cause: an encounter with moderate turbulence while the flight attendant was securing the cabin for arrival.

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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