# NTSB CHI03LA113: Boeing 757-222, N504UA, Lithonia, GA, April 21, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 21, 2003, 16:10 local (20:10 UTC) - Place: Lithonia, GA - Coordinates: 33.743888, -84.042503 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.7439&lon=-84.0425&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor, 184 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 30, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Boeing, United Airlines, Federal Aviaition Adminstration - NTSB case key (mKey): 56923 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI03LA113 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/56923/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI03LA113 ## Probable cause The flight into adverse weather encountered by the flight crew, and the flight attendant's restraint not available when she was informed to take her seat. The convective associated turbulence was a contributing factor. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, cruise - weather condition - turbulence,convection induced (contributing factor) - flight into adverse weather - encountered, flightcrew (cause) - seat belt - not available, flight attendant (cause) ## Analysis A flight attendant received serious injuries when the domestic scheduled passenger flight encountered turbulence at flight level 290. The flightcrew were diverting around an area of convective activity when moderate turbulence was encountered with a strong updraft. The flight attendant reported that she received a message from another flight attendant to return to her seat and strap in. She was on her way back to the jump seat when the turbulence began. She reported that she "flew through the air" and hit her leg on a galley counter. ## Factual narrative On April 21, 2003, at 1610 eastern daylight time, a Boeing 757-222, N504UA, operated by United Airlines as flight 705, encountered turbulence during cruise at flight level (FL) 290 near Lithonia, Georgia. Instrument meteorological conditions with convective activity prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR Part 121 domestic passenger flight was operating on an instrument rules flight plan. One flight attendant received minor injuries and a second flight attendant received serious injuries. The 2 flight crew, 3 remaining flight attendants, and 179 passengers reported no injuries. The flight originated from Orlando International Airport, Orlando, Florida, at 1520, en route to Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD), Chicago, Illinois. The flight crew reported deviating for weather. Air traffic control (ATC) cleared them to descend to flight level (FL) 290. The flight crew reported they could see the "end of the line of showers" to the north and deviated further to avoid showers. ATC then cleared them to climb to FL 310. During the climb, they experienced four to five seconds of turbulence, described as "moderate with a strong updraft for a few seconds." When they exited the top of the cloud layer, they were contacted by a flight attendant who indicated one of the flight attendants had been seriously injured. The first officer requested medical assistance and contacted dispatch to request paramedics to meet the airplane at ORD. The injured flight attended reported receiving a message from another flight attendant to return to her seat and strap in. She stated she was on her way back to her jump seat when the turbulence started. She reported she "flew into the air" and her left leg hit a counter in the galley. The flight attendant received a fracture to her left tibia and fibia. She stated that two doctors on board the airplane came to help her after the turbulence had subsided. The Federal Aviation Administration, Boeing, and UAL were parties to the investigation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N504UA](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N504UA-2015-03-10), registration cancelled 2015-03-10, S/N 24625, built 1989 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Boeing 757-222 - Registry model: [Boeing 757-222](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-757-222) (registry code 1384956) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney PW2040](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-pw2040) (registry code 52121, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 24625 - Airframe hours: 44627 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney PW2037 37000 lbs thrust turbo fan; Pratt & Whitney PW2037 37000 lbs thrust turbo fan - Damage: No damage - Flight: Part 121 - Registered owner: United Airlines - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, March 6, 2002, 3,423 hours before - Departed: MCO, Orlando, FL - Destination: ORD, Chicago, IL - Flight plan: IFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 42; injuries: none; airline transport, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review December 1, 2002; seat: left; flight hours: 8,564 total, 665 in this make and model - Co-pilot; age 41; injuries: none; airline transport, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review April 1, 2003; seat: right; flight hours: 4,229 total, 2,340 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Dusk - Wind: 220° at 7 knots - Visibility: 7 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 4,000 ft broken - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 64 °F - Altimeter: 29.89 inHg - Observed at: ATL, 20 nm away ## 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 20030421008169A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030421008169A), Apr 21, 2003: Boeing 757222, Lithonia, GA. (-23) Flight encountered moderate turbulence at FL 290 over Lithonia, GA. Two flight attendants were injured; one received a broken leg. No other injuries… 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.