# NTSB DCA08FA064: Embraer 140, N816AE, Dallas, TX, May 27, 2008 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Field investigation · Final report - Date: May 27, 2008, 10:00 local (16:00 UTC) - Place: Dallas, TX - Coordinates: 32.75, -97.333335 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.7500&lon=-97.3333&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Clear air turbulence encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/362) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 24 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 28, 2010 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Major Investigations Division - NTSB case key (mKey): 68102 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA08FA064 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/68102/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=68102 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA08FA064 ## Probable cause The flight's inadvertent encounter with turbulence. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Turbulence: clear air turbulence](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032015): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on personnel (probable cause); cases with it: [Embraer EMB-135KL, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032015/cases.md?model=3260302), [All aircraft, 78 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032015/cases.md) - [Turbulence: clear air turbulence](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032015): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Ability to respond/compensate (probable cause); cases with it: [Embraer EMB-135KL, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032015/cases.md?model=3260302), [All aircraft, 78 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032015/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Clear air turbulence encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/362) (defining event); cases with it: [Embraer EMB-135KL, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/362/sequence.md?model=3260302), [All aircraft, 24 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/362/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the flight crew the flight was carried out in smooth air for most of the way to Dallas. When the flight reached a point about 40 nm west of Bowie VOR, at 17,000 feet altitude, and as the airplane overflew a small cloud, the airplane was abruptly jolted by turbulence. The autopilot disconnected and was immediately reactivated by the flight crew. During the turbulence encounter, an elderly female passenger fell to the floor near the lavatory and suffered a broken ankle. ## Factual narrative On May 27, 2008, at about 10:00 AM central daylight time, American Eagle flight 3646, an Embraer 140, inadvertently flew through turbulent air. The seat belt sign was off at the time and an unbelted passenger received a serious injury. The flight had departed Springfield, MO (SGF), and subsequently landed uneventfully at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), its planned destination. According to the flight crew, the flight was carried out in smooth air for most of the way to Dallas. When the flight reached a point about 40 nm west of Bowie VOR, at 17,000 feet altitude, and as the airplane overflew a small cloud, the airplane was abruptly jolted by turbulence. The autopilot disconnected and was immediately reactivated by the flight crew. During the turbulence encounter, an elderly female passenger fell to the floor near the lavatory and suffered a broken ankle. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N816AE](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N816AE-2023-02-23), registration cancelled 2023-02-23, S/N 145552, built 2002 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: EMBRAER 140 (LR) - Registry model: [Embraer EMB-135KL](https://openairdocs.org/model/embraer-emb-135kl) (registry code 3260302) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rolls-Royce DART RDA-10](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rolls-royce-dart-rda-10) (registry code 54524, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 145552 - Engines: Rolls Royce AE 3007A 7420 lbs thrust turbo fan; Rolls Royce AE 3007A 7420 lbs thrust turbo fan - Damage: No damage - Flight: Part 121 - Operator: American Airlines, doing business as American Eagle Airlines - Registered owner: American Airlines - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Departed: SGF, Springfield, MO - Destination: DFW, Arlington, TX - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: DFW, Dallas Fort Worth IAP ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: unknown; flight hours: 7,439 total, 1,203 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Incident 20080527857569I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080527857569I), May 27, 2008: Emb EMB135KL, Bowie, TX, No damage. "EGF3646/27MAY08 encountered unexpected turbulence. Passenger was standing up and fell down injuring her ankle. Passenger was taken to hospital upon arrival.… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 28, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=68102. 446 KB in all. - NTSB Form 6120.4 (item 1, .PDF, 401 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40319342&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=NTSB%20Form%206120.4-Master.PDF - Captain's Irregularity Report (item 2, .PDF, 45 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40319346&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Captain%27s%20Irregularity%20Report-Master.PDF 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.