# NTSB DCA11CA070: De Havilland DHC8, N351NG, Baltimore, MD, May 16, 2011 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: May 16, 2011, 18:30 local (22:30 UTC) - Place: Baltimore, MD - Coordinates: 39.285556, -76.605834 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.2856&lon=-76.6058&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-descent: Turbulence encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 18, 2018 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Major Investigations Division - NTSB case key (mKey): 80775 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA11CA070 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/80775/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=80775 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA11CA070 ## Probable cause an inadvertent encounter with clear air 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: [Bombardier DHC-8-402, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032015/cases.md?model=1390042), [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-descent: Turbulence encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360) (defining event); cases with it: [Bombardier DHC-8-402, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md?model=1390042), [All aircraft, 423 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md) ## 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](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N351NG-2015-05-29), registration cancelled 2015-05-29, S/N 4351, built 2011 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: DE HAVILLAND DHC8 (402) - Registry model: [Bombardier DHC-8-402](https://openairdocs.org/model/bombardier-dhc-8-402) (registry code 1390042) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney Canada PW150A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-canada-pw150a) (registry code 52167, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 4351 - Engines: Pratt and Whitney PW 150A 7000 horsepower turbo prop; Pratt and Whitney PW 150A 7000 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 ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 35; injuries: none; 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 - Co-pilot; age 31; injuries: none; 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 ## 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 20110516012309A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110516012309A), May 16, 2011: Bombardier Inc DHC-8-402, Baltimore, MD, No damage. On may 16, 2011 colgan air flight 3261 was operating from ewr to dca. While enroute, the crew was talking to potomac approach, about 40 miles north of bwi,… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 20, 2018, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=80775. 229 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 229 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40464248&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-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.