# Accident 20230925018789A: Airbus A320-232, September 25, 2023 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: September 25, 2023, 03:36 local time - Damage: Minor damage - Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight - Operating rules: Air carrier (Part 121) - Operator: YENA - Location: 16.1976° N, 77.3898° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=16.1976&lon=-77.3898&mi=10 - Aircraft: N569JB, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N569JB) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Airbus A320-232 (registry code 3940004, https://openairdocs.org/model/airbus-a320-232) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: IAE V2500SERIES (registry code 34601, https://openairdocs.org/engine/iae-v2500series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AIRBUS A320-232 - Reported engine: IAE V2500SERIES - People aboard: 166 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 6 - Pilot certificates: Airline transport - Pilot flight hours: 20,554 total - NTSB investigation: [NTSB DCA23LA462](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA23LA462) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230925018789A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, A320 DEPARTED GUAYAQUIL, ECUADOR (SEGU) TO FT. LAUDERDALE INTERNATIONAL (KFLL) ON SEPTEMBER 25, 2023, AT APPROXIMATELY 0500Z. DURING THE FLIGHT, THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE THAT RESULTED IN INJURIES TO A PASSENGER AND A FLIGHT CREWMEMBER. THE DISPATCH FLIGHT RELEASE NOTED THE PRESENCE OF CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY FOR A PORTION OF THE FLIGHT. HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO DIRECT BRIEFING BETWEEN THE FLIGHT CREW AND DISPATCHER. A STANDARD PREFLIGHT BRIEFING WAS PROVIDED TO THE INFLIGHT CREW, BUT NO MENTION OF POSSIBLE CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY ENROUTE WAS MADE. AT 0736Z, WHILE ENTERING KINGSTON AIRSPACE OUTSIDE OF ARTCC-PROVIDED WEATHER RADAR COVERAGE, THEY ENCOUNTERED AN UNDETECTED STORM CELL. THE SEVERE TURBULENCE THEY EXPERIENCED CAUSED MULTIPLE MINOR INJURIES AND TWO SERIOUS INJURIES. A PASSENGER STANDING IN THE AISLE FELL ON A SEATED PASSENGER, BREAKING HER LEG, AND IFC 4 IN THE REAR OF THE PLANE SUFFERED A CONCUSSION. AS OF NOVEMBER 15, 2023, THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT HAD NOT RETURNED TO ACTIVE FLIGHT DUTY. PRIOR TO THE EVENT, THE FLIGHT ENCOUNTERED LITTLE OR NO TURBULENCE, VISIBILITY WAS LIMITED AS THEY FLEW IN AND OUT OF CLOUDS, BUT LIGHTING FROM NUMEROUS STORM CELLS ADJACENT TO THEIR ROUTE COULD BE VISUALLY OBSERVED WHILE THE AIRCRAFT WEATHER RADAR WAS CLEARLY DEPICTING THEM, BUT NOTHING VISIBLE DIRECTLY ON THEIR PATH. AT THIS TIME THE INFLIGHT CREW WAS PREPARING FOOD SERVICE WITH THE SEAT BELT SIGN ON. WHEN THE FLIGHT ENCOUNTERED THE STORM CELL, NOT VISIBLE ON THE WEATHER RADAR, THE FLIGHT ENCOUNTERED HEAVY CLOUDS, TURBULENCE, MOISTURE, AND VISIBLE ST ELMO’S FIRE ON THE WINDSHIELD. A SIGMET, WHICH COVERED MOST OF THE KINGSTON FIR AIRSPACE, WAS RELEASED JUST NINE MINUTES AFTER THEY ENCOUNTERED THE STORM CELL AND JUST AS THEY APPROACHED THE SIGMET’S BORDER. FOR UNKNOWN REASONS THIS SIGMET WAS NOT REPORTED TO THE FLIGHT CREW AND DISPATCHER, CONSEQUENTLY THEY TRANSITED THE AREA UNKNOWINGLY. WHILE THE REASON THIS SIGMET WAS UNREPORTED NEEDS INVESTIGATION, IT IS NOT CONSIDERED CAUSAL, AS THIS ACCIDENT OCCURRED BEFORE THE SIGMET WAS PUBLISHED. AFTER ARRIVING IN KFLL, THE FLIGHT CREW ENTERED COMMENTS INTO THE AIRCRAFT LOGBOOK THAT THE RADAR WAS INOPERATIVE. THIS WAS BASED UPON THE RADAR NOT DEPICTING RAIN ACTIVITY FROM THE TURBULENCE EVENT. BOTH THE FLIGHT CREW AND DISPATCHER SUBMITTED SEPARATE ASAP REPORTS THAT WERE ACCEPTED. THE DISPATCH ASAP EVENT REVIEW COMMITTEE IS ACTIVELY INVESTIGATING WHY THE SIGMET WAS NOT DELIVERED TO THE FLIGHT CREW AND DISPATCHER. THE NEWLY INSTITUTED FLIGHTKEYS DISPATCHING SYSTEM IS OF PRIME INTEREST. A REVIEW OF FAA ORDER 8020.11, PARAGRAPH 7-10A, THAT LIST NINE SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES IN ALL ACCIDENT INVESTIGATIONS CONDUCTED BY THE FAA, HAS DETERMINED THAT NONE OF THESE NINE ITEMS WERE FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT. ## 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 DCA23LA462](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA23LA462), Sep 25, 2023: Airbus A320-232 (N569JB), Caribbean Sea (Atlantic Ocean), no damage. Probable cause: An inadvertent encounter with convectively induced turbulence during cruise that was not depicted by the airplane’s weather radar system. ## Other reports on N569JB (2) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 20260822011789I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260822011789I), Aug 22, 2026: Airbus A320-232 (N569JB), Boston, MA, Minor damage. During a low approach, at approximately 59 feet from touchdown, a large flock of birds crossed the aircraft's flight path, striking the airframe, wings, flaps,… - [Accident 20230925022679A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230925022679A), Sep 25, 2023: Airbus A320-232 (N569JB), Fort Lauderdale, FL, No damage. Fort Lauderdale, FL (fll): [privacy data omitted] A320, segu-fll, experienced severe turbulence at FL340 while enroute segu-fll in caribbean airspace. 3 crew… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.