# Clear air turbulence

- Type: NTSB finding subsection
- Path: [Environmental issues](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03) › [Conditions/weather/phenomena](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/0303) › [Turbulence](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/030320) › Clear air turbulence
- NTSB code: 03032015
- Cases: 78
- In the probable cause: 72
- Fatal cases: 4
- All cases: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032015/cases.md
- Cases with it in the probable cause: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032015/cases.md?cause=1
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032015

## Cases per year (in the probable cause / all)

- 2008: 5 / 6
- 2009: 2 / 3
- 2010: 6 / 6
- 2011: 5 / 5
- 2012: 7 / 7
- 2013: 3 / 3
- 2015: 5 / 5
- 2016: 7 / 7
- 2017: 2 / 2
- 2018: 4 / 4
- 2019: 5 / 6
- 2020: 1 / 1
- 2021: 5 / 5
- 2022: 4 / 5
- 2023: 3 / 5
- 2024: 5 / 5
- 2025: 2 / 2
- 2026: 1 / 1

## Defining events in these cases

- [Turbulence encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360): 52 cases
- [Clear air turbulence encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/362): 16 cases
- [Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240): 3 cases
- [Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341): 2 cases
- [Part(s) separation from AC](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338): 1 cases
- [Aircraft structural failure](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/337): 1 cases
- [Low altitude operation/event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220): 1 cases
- [Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120): 1 cases
- [Landing gear not configured](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095): 1 cases

## Aircraft models (registry)

- [Boeing 737-7H4](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-737-7h4): 7 cases
- [Boeing 777-223](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-777-223): 4 cases
- [Airbus A321-231](https://openairdocs.org/model/airbus-a321-231): 3 cases
- [Boeing 767-322](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-767-322): 3 cases
- [Boeing 737-823](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-737-823): 3 cases
- [Airbus Industrie A320-232](https://openairdocs.org/model/airbus-industrie-a320-232): 2 cases
- [Boeing 777-222](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-777-222): 2 cases
- [Boeing 747-422](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-747-422): 2 cases
- [Piper PA-32R-300](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32r-300): 1 cases
- [Piper PA-32-301](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-301): 1 cases

## Other findings in the same cases

- [Use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015) (Personnel issues): 6 cases
- [Aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040) (Personnel issues): 4 cases
- [Illness/injury](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02012010) (Personnel issues): 4 cases
- [Action, general](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041000) (Personnel issues): 3 cases
- [Knowledge of meteorologic cond](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02032020) (Personnel issues): 3 cases
- [Passenger compartment equip](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022520) (Aircraft): 3 cases
- [Incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015) (Personnel issues): 2 cases
- [Performance/control parameters, general](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000) (Aircraft): 2 cases
- [Support/oversight/monitoring, general](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/04030000) (Organizational issues): 1 cases
- [Dust devil/whirlwind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034060) (Environmental issues): 1 cases

## Newest cases

- [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 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 DCA25LA156](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA25LA156), Mar 2, 2025: Boeing 737-8 (N8776L), San Diego, CA, no damage. Probable cause: An encounter with an area of moderate clear air turbulence associated with the jet stream during cruise.
- [NTSB DCA25LA091](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA25LA091), Dec 29, 2024: Boeing 767-322 (N647UA), Gulf of America (Gulf of Mexico), no damage. Probable cause: An encounter with an area of clear air turbulence during cruise, which resulted in a serious injury to a flight attendant.
- [NTSB DCA25LA047](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA25LA047), Nov 24, 2024: Boeing 777-223 (N753AN), Brasilia, Brazil, no damage. Probable cause: The airplane’s encounter with unanticipated turbulence during cruise flight, which resulted in serious injury to one passenger who was not seated.
- [NTSB CEN24LA247](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA247), Jun 29, 2024: American Air Racing Lancair IVP (N451M), Midland, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to extend and verify landing gear extension which resulted in a wheels-up landing. Contributing was the increased workload due to several airplane issues that occurred during the…
- [NTSB DCA24LA144](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA24LA144), Apr 3, 2024: Boeing 717-200 (N899AT), Cecil, NC, no damage. Probable cause: An encounter with clear air turbulence.
- [NTSB DCA24LA124](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA24LA124), Mar 9, 2024: Boeing 737 (N411WN), Aylett, VA, no damage. Probable cause: An encounter with clear air turbulence during descent.
- [NTSB CEN24FA049](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24FA049), Nov 29, 2023: MD Helicopters 600 (N745MB), Sterling City, TX, substantial damage, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from a power line pole’s static arm during forecasted gusting wind conditions, un-forecasted light turbulence, and un-forecasted low-level wind shear…
- [NTSB DCA23LA421](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA23LA421), Aug 18, 2023: Boeing 777-222 (N209UA), Over the (Atlantic Ocean), no damage. Probable cause: An inadvertent encounter with clear air turbulence during cruise flight.

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.

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