- Date
- May 23, 2011, 15:20 local (19:20 UTC)
- Place
- Boone, NC
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor, 185 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N623DLBoeing 757
- Defining event
- Enroute-cruise: Turbulence encounter
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 27, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Major Investigations Division
- Case key
- 79212
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Inadvertant encounter with convective turbulence while in cruise. Contributing to the severity of the accident was the unrestrained status of the passenger, contrary to the lighted seat belt sign.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
On May 23, 2011 at about 1520 eastern daylight time, a Boeing 757-223, N623DL, operated by Delta Airlines as flight 2001, encountered turbulence while in cruise flight from Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), Boston, Massachusetts to Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport(ATL), Atlanta, Georgia. The flight was operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 as a regularly scheduled passenger flight. One passenger was seriously injured and one of the 4 flight attendants experienced a minor injury. None of the 2 flight crew, other 3 flight attendants, or other 180 passengers was injured. The airplane was not damaged, and continued the flight to Atlanta. The flight crew reported that while in cruise flight at FL340, approximately 200 miles northeast of the destination, they were in an area of forecast convective weather and were maneuvering between two cells when they inadvertantly entered the edge of a cumulus buildup at the time of the turbulence. The seat belt sign was illuminated at this time, but the passenger was out of her seat and fell, resulting in a broken ankle.
Factual narrative
On May 23, 2011 at about 1520 eastern daylight time, a Boeing 757-223, N623DL, operated by Delta Airlines as flight 2001, encountered turbulence while in cruise flight from Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), Boston, Massachusetts to Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport(ATL), Atlanta, Georgia. The flight was operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 as a regularly scheduled passenger flight. One passenger was seriously injured and one of the 4 flight attendants experienced a minor injury. None of the 2 flight crew, other 3 flight attendants, or other 180 passengers was injured. The airplane was not damaged, and continued the flight to Atlanta. The flight crew reported that while in cruise flight at FL340, approximately 200 miles northeast of the destination, they were in an area of forecast convective weather and were maneuvering between two cells when they inadvertantly entered the edge of a cumulus buildup at the time of the turbulence. The seat belt sign was illuminated at this time, but the passenger was out of her seat and fell, resulting in a broken ankle.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N623DL
- Reported as
- Boeing 757 (232)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22913
- Airframe hours
- 61,801
- Engines
- Pratt & Whitney 2037, 37,000 lbs thrust, turbo fan2037, 37,000 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- Delta Airlines
- Registered owner
- Wilmington Trust Company Trustee
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Departed
- KBOS · Boston, MA
- Destination
- KATL · Atlanta, GA
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- KATL · Atlanta
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 51
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1
- Last flight review
- April 30, 2011
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 13,532 total · 128 in this make and model
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Age
- 57
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1
- Last flight review
- May 16, 2011
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 9,604 total · 96 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 10, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 965 KB in all.