# Turbulence - Type: NTSB finding section - Path: [Environmental issues](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03) › [Conditions/weather/phenomena](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/0303) › Turbulence - NTSB code: 030320 - Cases: 430 - In the probable cause: 333 - Fatal cases: 71 - All cases: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/030320/cases.md - Cases with it in the probable cause: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/030320/cases.md?cause=1 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/030320 ## Cases per year (in the probable cause / all) - 2008: 24 / 26 - 2009: 15 / 27 - 2010: 19 / 28 - 2011: 24 / 36 - 2012: 22 / 28 - 2013: 13 / 16 - 2014: 11 / 18 - 2015: 20 / 24 - 2016: 24 / 25 - 2017: 17 / 21 - 2018: 17 / 22 - 2019: 19 / 22 - 2020: 12 / 16 - 2021: 12 / 17 - 2022: 20 / 26 - 2023: 17 / 23 - 2024: 23 / 31 - 2025: 17 / 17 - 2026: 7 / 7 ## Findings - [Convective turbulence](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032020): 145 cases, 124 in the probable cause - [Turbulence, general](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032000): 92 cases, 60 in the probable cause - [Clear air turbulence](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032015): 78 cases, 72 in the probable cause - [Terrain induced turbulence](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032010): 70 cases, 38 in the probable cause - [Wake turbulence](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032025): 47 cases, 40 in the probable cause ## Defining events in these cases - [Turbulence encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360): 231 cases - [Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240): 73 cases - [Aircraft wake turb encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/361): 22 cases - [Clear air turbulence encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/362): 17 cases - [Windshear or thunderstorm](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/390): 9 cases - [Low altitude operation/event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220): 8 cases - [Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120): 7 cases - [Inflight upset](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/271): 6 cases - [Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230): 6 cases - [Aircraft structural failure](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/337): 5 cases ## Aircraft models (registry) - [Boeing 737-7H4](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-737-7h4): 17 cases - [Airbus A320-232](https://openairdocs.org/model/airbus-a320-232): 9 cases - [Boeing 777-223](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-777-223): 8 cases - [Airbus A321-231](https://openairdocs.org/model/airbus-a321-231): 7 cases - [Piper PA-18-150](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18-150): 6 cases - [Boeing 767-322](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-767-322): 6 cases - [Embraer S A ERJ 170-200 LR](https://openairdocs.org/model/embraer-s-a-erj-170-200-lr): 5 cases - [Embraer-Empresa Brasileira De ERJ 170-200 LR](https://openairdocs.org/model/embraer-empresa-brasileira-de-erj-170-200-lr): 5 cases - [Boeing 757-232](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-757-232): 5 cases - [Boeing 737-823](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-737-823): 5 cases ## Other findings in the same cases - [Aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040) (Personnel issues): 124 cases - [Decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520) (Personnel issues): 53 cases - [Performance/control parameters, general](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000) (Aircraft): 32 cases - [Altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012) (Aircraft): 23 cases - [Airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010) (Aircraft): 23 cases - [Lateral/bank control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062023) (Aircraft): 16 cases - [Directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020) (Aircraft): 15 cases - [Downdraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034035) (Environmental issues): 14 cases - [Use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015) (Personnel issues): 14 cases - [Knowledge of meteorologic cond](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02032020) (Personnel issues): 12 cases ## Newest cases - [NTSB DCA26LA286](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA26LA286), Jul 16, 2026: Embraer S A ERJ 170-200 LL (N271SY), Sanford, FL, no damage. Probable cause: An encounter with convectively induced turbulence during cruise flight in an area of forecast thunderstorm activity. - [NTSB CEN26LA209](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA209), May 30, 2026: Bellanca 7GCBC (N90932), Jonesboro, AR, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed, which led to the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the… - [NTSB WPR26LA165](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA165), Apr 17, 2026: Aeronca 7FC (N7541B), Bend, OR, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing roll. Contributing to the accident was the rotor wash from a nearby helicopter. - [NTSB DCA26LA185](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA26LA185), Apr 16, 2026: Boeing 737-8 (N8787K), Providence, RI, no damage. Probable cause: The airplane’s encounter with turbulence during descent resulting in a serious injury to a flight attendant. - [NTSB DCA26LA167](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA26LA167), Mar 29, 2026: Boeing 787-9 (N23994), Pacific Ocean (Pacific Ocean), no damage. Probable cause: An unanticipated encounter with clear air turbulence while in cruise flight. - [NTSB DCA26LA165](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA26LA165), Mar 19, 2026: Airbus A320-232 (N605JB), Atlantic Ocean (Atlantic Ocean), no damage. Probable cause: The airplane’s encounter with turbulence resulted in serious injuries to a flight attendant who was not seated due to completion of arrival compliance checks. - [NTSB CEN26LA085](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA085), Jan 6, 2026: Quad City Challenger (N194JR), Greenbrier, AR, substantial damage. Probable cause: The non-certificated pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during the landing. - [NTSB DCA25LA341](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA25LA341), Sep 30, 2025: Airbus A321 (N670NK), Las Vegas, NV, no damage. Probable cause: The airplane’s encounter with turbulence during descent resulting in a serious injury to a flight attendant who was standing at the time of the encounter. - [NTSB WPR25LA287](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA287), Sep 13, 2025: Briseno Samuel Kolb Firefly (N139SB), Cave Junction, OR, substantial damage. Probable cause: The non-certificated pilot's improper landing flare in turbulent wind conditions, which resulted in a hard landing. - [NTSB DCA25LA323](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA25LA323), Sep 12, 2025: Boeing 737-7H4 (N919WN), Port Orange, FL, no damage. Probable cause: An encounter with convective turbulence during descent, which resulted in serious injuries to a flight attendant. NTSB has coded findings and defining events since 2008; earlier cases used its older occurrence and cause codes and aren't counted. Findings: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings.md. Defining events: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events.md. Phases of flight: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases.md. Every investigation, filtered by finding, event, phase, state, year or model: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb.md (for example ?state=MI&fatal=1). NTSB's definitions: Accident and incident, 49 CFR 830.2 (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-VIII/part-830/subpart-A/section-830.2), CICTT occurrence categories (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/data/Documents/datafiles/OccurrenceCategoryDefinitions.pdf), CICTT phases of flight (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/data/Documents/datafiles/PhaseofFlightDefinitions.pdf), and NTSB coding manual, before 2008 (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). NTSB publishes no definitions for its findings, only their names. --- 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.