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Convective turbulence

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NTSB finding · Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Turbulence

All 145 cases124 in the probable cause
Cases
145
In the probable cause
124 (86%)
Fatal cases
15
NTSB code
03032020

NTSB has coded findings and defining events since 2008. Earlier cases used its older occurrence and cause codes, so they aren’t counted here.

When and where

In green, cases where NTSB made it part of the probable cause; in gray, a factor or other finding. Findings are coded with the final report, often a year or more after the event, so the latest years are incomplete.

Cases per year

2008In the probable causeFactor only2026

Where

Open the map
Query with SQL
duckdb -csv -c "SELECT year(c.\"eventDate\") AS year, count(DISTINCT f.case_mkey) AS cases,
    count(DISTINCT f.case_mkey) FILTER (WHERE f.\"inProbableCause\") AS in_probable_cause
  FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_findings.parquet' f JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c ON c.\"mKey\" = f.case_mkey
  WHERE starts_with(f.\"findingCode\", '03032020') AND c.\"eventDate\" >= DATE '2000-01-01'
  GROUP BY 1
  ORDER BY 1"

Prints the counts as CSV. It reads the release’s Parquet files over HTTPS, so there’s nothing to download first. Install DuckDB to run it.

In the same cases

Defining events
Aircraft models

Aircraft matched to the registry by N-number and date.

Other findings
Query with SQL
duckdb -csv -c "WITH matched AS (SELECT DISTINCT case_mkey, aircrafts_position FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_findings.parquet' WHERE starts_with(\"findingCode\", '03032020'))
  SELECT * FROM (
  SELECT 'Defining event' AS kind, e.\"tier2Number\" AS code, max(e.\"eventTier2Name\") AS name, count(DISTINCT f.case_mkey) AS cases
  FROM matched f JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' e ON e.case_mkey = f.case_mkey AND e.aircrafts_position = f.aircrafts_position AND e.\"isDefiningEvent\"
  WHERE e.\"tier2Number\" <> ''
  GROUP BY ALL
  UNION ALL
  SELECT 'Aircraft model', a.aircraft_model_code, any_value(concat_ws(' ', m.manufacturer, m.model)), count(DISTINCT f.case_mkey)
  FROM matched f JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = f.case_mkey AND a.position = f.aircrafts_position
  LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/faa_aircraft_model.parquet' m ON m.code = a.aircraft_model_code
  WHERE a.aircraft_model_code IS NOT NULL
  GROUP BY ALL
  UNION ALL
  SELECT 'Other finding', left(g.\"findingCode\", 8), max(g.\"tier4Name\"), count(DISTINCT g.case_mkey)
  FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_findings.parquet' g
  WHERE g.case_mkey IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM matched) AND NOT starts_with(g.\"findingCode\", '03032020') AND g.\"findingCode\" GLOB '[0-9][0-9]*'
  GROUP BY ALL
  )
  QUALIFY row_number() OVER (PARTITION BY kind ORDER BY cases DESC) <= 10
  ORDER BY kind, cases DESC"

Prints the counts as CSV. It reads the release’s Parquet files over HTTPS, so there’s nothing to download first. Install DuckDB to run it.

Newest cases · 145

NTSB DCA26LA286Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportEmbraer S A ERJ 170-200 LL · Sanford, FLAn encounter with convectively induced turbulence during cruise flight in an area of forecast thunderstorm activity.Jul 16, 2026 · N271SY · No damageNTSB DCA26LA165Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportAirbus A320-232 · Atlantic Ocean (Atlantic Ocean)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.Mar 19, 2026 · N605JB · No damageNTSB DCA25LA323Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportBoeing 737-7H4 · Port Orange, FLAn encounter with convective turbulence during descent, which resulted in serious injuries to a flight attendant.Sep 12, 2025 · N919WN · No damageNTSB DCA25LA312Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportMcdonnell Douglas MD 83 · Miami, FLAn encounter with convective turbulence during descent that resulted in a serious injury to a flight attendant.Aug 23, 2025 · N805WA · No damageNTSB DCA25LA269Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportEmbraer-Empresa Brasileira De ERJ 170-200 LR · Jacksonville, GAThe airplane’s encounter with unanticipated moderate turbulence.Jul 21, 2025 · N229JQ · No damageNTSB DCA25LA272Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportBombardier CL-600-2D24 · Germantown, KYAn inadvertent encounter with severe turbulence during descent.Jul 17, 2025 · N330PQ · No damageNTSB DCA25LA240Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportAirbus Industrie A321-211 · Miami, FLThe unexpected encounter with a rapidly developing convective cell during climb resulting in convectively induced turbulence on a dark moon-less evening.Jun 22, 2025 · N189UW · No damageNTSB DCA25LA239Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportAirbus A320 · Nashville, TNThe airplane’s encounter with moderate convective turbulence during descent.Jun 22, 2025 · N616NK · No damageNTSB DCA25LA238Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportBoeing 737-924ER · Fort Myers, FLThe airplane’s inadvertent encounter with convective turbulence during descent, which resulted in serious injuries to two flight attendants.Jun 16, 2025 · N28478 · No damageNTSB DCA25LA234Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportBoeing 737-7H4 · Ebro, FLThe airplane’s encounter with convective turbulence during climb while diverting to an alternate airport, resulting in a serious injury to a passenger who disregarded the flight crew’s illuminated seat belt sign and the cabin crew’s instruction to remain…Jun 14, 2025 · N969WN · No damage
See all 145 cases
Query with SQL
duckdb -csv -c "SELECT c.\"ntsbNumber\", c.\"eventDate\", c.\"eventType\", c.\"eventCity\", c.\"eventStateOrRegion\", a.n_number, a.\"aircraftMake\", a.\"aircraftModel\", c.\"highestInjuryLevel\", c.\"totalFatal\", c.\"completionStatus\", c.report_url
  FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c.\"mKey\" AND a.position = 1
  WHERE c.\"mKey\" IN (SELECT f.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_findings.parquet' f WHERE starts_with(f.\"findingCode\", '03032020'))
  ORDER BY c.\"eventDate\" DESC, c.\"ntsbNumber\" DESC"

Prints the whole list as CSV. It reads the release’s Parquet files over HTTPS, so there’s nothing to download first. Install DuckDB to run it.