# NTSB DCA09FA068: Embraer EMB170, N135HQ, Norfolk, VA, July 27, 2009 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Field investigation · Final report - Date: July 27, 2009, 16:30 local (20:30 UTC) - Place: Norfolk, VA - Coordinates: 36.894443, -76.20111 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.8944&lon=-76.2011&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-climb to cruise: Turbulence encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor, 85 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 10, 2015 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Major Investigations Division - Parties: Republic Airlines Inc., FAA Indianapolis FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 74388 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA09FA068 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/74388/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74388 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA09FA068 ## Probable cause an inadvertent encounter with convective turbulence that resulted in serious injuries to a flight attendant. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Turbulence: convective turbulence](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032020): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on personnel (probable cause); cases with it: [Embraer-Empresa Brasileira De ERJ 170-200 LR, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032020/cases.md?model=3260121), [All aircraft, 145 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032020/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-climb to cruise: Turbulence encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360) (defining event); cases with it: [Embraer-Empresa Brasileira De ERJ 170-200 LR, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md?model=3260121), [All aircraft, 423 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md) ## Analysis The captain stated that while climbing through about FL220, the flight encountered turbulence while deviating around a convective cell. According to the flight attendant (FA), the turbulence occurred after the captain had "turned off the sterile cockpit" and she was preparing the beverage service with the lead FA. Both FAs were thrown to the floor with one FA falling on top of the other. As a result, one FA suffered a broken bone in her left foot and the other received minor injuries. The operator stated that the seat belt was illuminated at the time of the turbulence. ## Factual narrative On July 27, 2009, about 1630 eastern daylight time, Republic Airlines flight 3199, an EMB-175, N135HQ, encountered turbulence while climbing to cruise altitude after departing Norfolk International Airport (ORF), Norfolk, Virginia. Of the four crew members and 83 passengers onboard, one flight attendant received serious injuries and the airplane was not damaged. The 14 CFR part 121 domestic passenger flight continued uneventfully to its intended destination of Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT), Charlotte, North Carolina.According to the Captain, the flight departed normally from runway 23 but there were numerous thunderstorms and rain showers in the area. He said they were deviating around a cell as they were approaching FL220 when, the flight encountered moderate turbulence. According to flight attendant (FA) statements, two FAs were in the aft galley preparing beverage service when the turbulence occurred. Both FAs were lifted into the air and then thrown to the floor with one FA landing on top of the other. One FA injured her left ankle and was assisted to a passenger seat and provided ice and the other FA received minor injuries. The Director of Safety for Republic Airlines reported in NTSB Form 6120 that the seat belt had been illuminated at the time of the turbulence. Upon landing, emergency medical technicians met the flight and the FA was taken to a hospital where x-rays revealed that she had a broken bone in her left foot. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N135HQ](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N135HQ), registered now, S/N 17000224, built 2008 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: EMBRAER EMB170 - Registry model: [Embraer-Empresa Brasileira De ERJ 170-200 LR](https://openairdocs.org/model/embraer-empresa-brasileira-de-erj-170-200-lr) (registry code 3260121) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [GE CF34-8E5](https://openairdocs.org/engine/ge-cf34-8e5) (registry code 30061, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17000224 - Airframe hours: 3111 - Engines: General Electric CF34-8E5 turbo fan; General Electric CF34-8E5 turbo fan - Damage: No damage - Flight: Part 121 - Operator: Republic Airlines Inc., - Registered owner: Republic Airlines Inc., - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, July 27, 2009 - Departed: ORF, Norfolk, VA - Destination: CLT, Charlotte, NC - Flight plan: IFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 29; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review March 8, 2009; seat: left; flight hours: 6,110 total, 3,968 in this make and model, 3,060 as pilot in command, 251 in the last 90 days, 92 in the last 30 days, 7 in the last 24 hours - Co-pilot; age 45; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1; last flight review June 15, 2009; seat: right; flight hours: 3,874 total, 88 in this make and model, 1,292 as pilot in command, 84 in the last 90 days, 67 in the last 30 days, 7 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Observed at: KORF ## 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 20090727054079A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090727054079A), Jul 27, 2009: Embraer-Emp ERJ 170-200, Norfolk, VA, No damage. Republic airlines flight 3199 Norfolk, Virginia to charlotte, north carolina operating on July 27, 2009 experienced turbulence during take-off climb resultng… ## Docket (6 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 29, 2015, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74388. 6.6 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 700 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40365415&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Flight Data Recorder 10 - Factual Report of Group Chairman (item 2, .PDF, 174 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40359123&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Flight%20Data%20Recorder%2010%20-%20Factual%20Report%20of%20Group%20Chairman-Master.PDF - Flight Data Recorder 10 - Attachment 1 FDR Tabular (item 3, .CSV, 1.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40435254&FileExtension=.csv&FileName=Flight%20Data%20Recorder%2010%20-%20Attachment%201%20FDR%20Tabular-Master.csv - Meteorology 5 - Factual Report of Group Chairman (item 4, .PDF, 4.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40331031&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Meteorology%205%20-%20Factual%20Report%20of%20Group%20Chairman-Master.PDF - Meteorology 5 - Attachment 1 Weather document (item 5, .PDF, 19 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40331034&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Meteorology%205%20-%20Attachment%201%20Weather%20document-Master.PDF - Miscellaneous: Crew Reports (item 6, .PDF, 226 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40365416&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Miscellaneous%3A%20Crew%20Reports-Redacted.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.