- Date
- May 16, 2011, 18:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place
- Baltimore, MD
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 3 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N351NGDe Havilland DHC8
- Defining event
- Enroute-descent: Turbulence encounter
- Weather
- Not reported
- Status
- Completed · report June 18, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Major Investigations Division
- FAA report
- 20110516012309A
- Case key
- 80775
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
an inadvertent encounter with clear air turbulence.
Findings · 1
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 16, 2011, at about 1830 eastern daylight time, Pinnacle Airlines flight 3621, a DHC-8-402, N351NG, encountered severe turbulence while descending through about 14,000 feet while on initial approach to Ronald Regan National Airport (KDCA), Washington, District of Columbia. One flight attendant received a serious injury and the airplane was not damaged. The flight was operating under 14 CFR Part 121 as a regularly scheduled passenger flight from Newark International Airport (KEWR), Newark, New Jersey to KDCA. According to the operator, the flight crew had not received any PIREPS or NOTAMS of forecasted turbulence and the flight attendants (FAs) had just stowed the galley service carts when the turbulence was encountered. One FA was thrown to the floor injuring her foot. The flight attendant was assisted to a passenger seat where ice was administered to her swollen foot. Paramedics met the flight upon landing and transported the injured flight attendant to the hospital where she was diagnosed with a fracture in her right foot.
Factual narrative
On May 16, 2011, at about 1830 eastern daylight time, Pinnacle Airlines flight 3621, a DHC-8-402, N351NG, encountered severe turbulence while descending through about 14,000 feet while on initial approach to Ronald Regan National Airport (KDCA), Washington, District of Columbia. One flight attendant received a serious injury and the airplane was not damaged. The flight was operating under 14 CFR Part 121 as a regularly scheduled passenger flight from Newark International Airport (KEWR), Newark, New Jersey to KDCA. According to the operator, the flight crew had not received any PIREPS or NOTAMS of forecasted turbulence and the flight attendants (FAs) had just stowed the galley service carts when the turbulence was encountered. One FA was thrown to the floor injuring her foot. The flight attendant was assisted to a passenger seat where ice was administered to her swollen foot. Paramedics met the flight upon landing and transported the injured flight attendant to the hospital where she was diagnosed with a fracture in her right foot.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N351NG
- Reported as
- De Havilland DHC8 (402)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 4351
- Engines
- Pratt and Whitney PW 150A, 7,000 horsepower, turbo propPratt and Whitney PW 150A, 7,000 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- Colgan Air Inc
- Registered owner
- Colgan Air Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Departed
- EWR · Newark, NJ
- Destination
- DCA · Washington, DC
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Equipment
- Stall warning system
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
- 35
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 26, 2011
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,711 in this make and model
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Age
- 31
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 7, 2011
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 275 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Not reported
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Turbulence
- Moderate
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 20, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 229 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.