# NTSB CEN10LA220: Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-82(MD-82), N461AA, Chicago, IL, April 17, 2010

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: April 17, 2010, 09:00 local (14:00 UTC)
- Place: Chicago, IL
- Coordinates: 42.030517, -87.900566 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.0305&lon=-87.9006&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Cabin safety event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/110)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious, 83 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report May 26, 2011
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Central Region
- NTSB case key (mKey): 75832
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN10LA220
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/75832/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10LA220

## Probable cause

The flight attendant's loss of balance resulting in a fall and a broken wrist.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Personnel issues](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02050000): Personnel issues › Miscellaneous · Cabin crew (probable cause); cases with it: [Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-82(MD-82), 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02050000/cases.md?model=3022082), [All aircraft, 29 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02050000/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Enroute-cruise: Cabin safety event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/110) (defining event); cases with it: [Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-82(MD-82), 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/110/sequence.md?model=3022082), [All aircraft, 151 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/110/sequence.md)

## Analysis

According to the flight attendant, as she turned to walk to the galley, she tripped and fell, landing on her left hand. It was later found that she had fractured her wrist. There was no damage to the airplane and no injuries to the other crew or passengers on the flight.

## Factual narrative

On April 17, 2010, about 0900 central daylight time, a flight attendant was injured aboard a McDonnell Douglas DC-9-82(MD-82), N461AA, operated by American Airlines, Inc., and piloted by an airline transport pilot. The flight attendant received serious injuries when she fell during the flight. There was no damage to the airplane and no injuries to the other crew or passengers on the flight. The 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 flight was operating on an instrument flight rules flight plan. The airplane had departed from the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Austin, Texas, about 0820 and was en route to the Chicago O'Hare International Airport, Chicago, Illinois when the event occurred. The flight attendant reported that as she turned to walk to the galley, she tripped and fell, landing on her left hand. It was later found that she had fractured her wrist.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N461AA](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N461AA-2013-01-07), registration cancelled 2013-01-07, S/N 49566, built 1988 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MCDONNELL DOUGLAS DC-9-82(MD-82)
- Registry model: [Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-82(MD-82)](https://openairdocs.org/model/mcdonnell-douglas-dc-9-82-md-82) (registry code 3022082) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney JT8D series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-jt8d-series) (registry code 52053, turbo-jet) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 49566
- Engines: P & W JT8D SERIES 7700 lbs thrust turbo fan; P & W JT8D SERIES 7700 lbs thrust turbo fan
- Damage: No damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Operator: American Airlines Inc
- Registered owner: Wilmington Trust Company Trustee
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Departed: AUS, Austin, TX
- Destination: ORD, Chicago, IL
- Flight plan: IFR

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20100417055279A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100417055279A), Apr 17, 2010: Mcdonnell D DC-9-82(MD-, No damage. This office received a report of a flight attendant injury on American airlines flight #1184, aus-ord, tail #N461AA, on 04/17/2010. The incident was…

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.

---
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.