DCA12CA086

NTSB accident investigation · Boeing 757 2B7 · Philadelphia, PA · June 7, 2012

Accident · Serious injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
June 7, 2012, 12:16 local (16:16 UTC)
Place
Philadelphia, PA
Injuries
1 serious, 1 minor, 184 uninjured
Damage
No damage
Phase of flight
Enroute
Aircraft
N936UWBoeing 757 2B7
Defining event
Enroute-descent: Turbulence encounter
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report March 9, 2018
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Major Investigations Division
FAA report
20120607010549A
Case key
83891

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 convective 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.

Turbulence: convective turbulenceEnvironmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on personnelBoeing 757-2B7: 1 caseAll aircraft: 145 casesProbable cause

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 June 7, 2012, at approximately 1600 coordinated universal time, US Airways flight 1078, a Boeing 757-200, N936UW, encountered turbulence during descent into Philadelphia International Airport (KPHL), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. One flight attendant in the aft galley suffered a broken ankle and two other flight attendants suffered minor injuries. The other five crewmembers and 178 passengers were not injured and the airplane was not damaged. The flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 121 as a regularly scheduled passenger flight from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (LRSM), San Juan, Puerto Rico, to KPHL. According to the operator, the flight crew weather briefing indicated no turbulence forecast for the route of flight. The departure, cruise, and initial descent portions of the flight were uneventful. The captain reportedly turned on the seatbelt sign when the flight was passing through flight level 180. About 50 miles outside of KPHL, the flight crew identified a small band of cumulus clouds between 13,000 feet and 9,000 feet. The captain made a public-address announcement to the passengers reminding them to have their seatbelts fastened and alerted them to the possibility of some minor turbulence as they passed through the clouds. Prior to descending through 10,000 feet, the flight encountered moderate turbulence for approximately 3-5 seconds. There were no pilot reports or advisories from air traffic control about turbulence in the area. When the turbulence was encountered, the D flight attendant (FA) was in the aft galley performing final landing preparations and was lifted into the air and thrown the floor near the last row of passenger seats. She was assisted by other FA's but remained on the floor for the remainder of the flight due to her injured leg. Paramedics met the airplane at the gate and transported the flight attendant to the hospital where she was diagnosed with fractures to her tibia and fibula.

Factual narrative

On June 7, 2012, at approximately 1600 coordinated universal time, US Airways flight 1078, a Boeing 757-200, N936UW, encountered turbulence during descent into Philadelphia International Airport (KPHL), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. One flight attendant in the aft galley suffered a broken ankle and two other flight attendants suffered minor injuries. The other five crewmembers and 178 passengers were not injured and the airplane was not damaged. The flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 121 as a regularly scheduled passenger flight from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (LRSM), San Juan, Puerto Rico, to KPHL. According to the operator, the flight crew weather briefing indicated no turbulence forecast for the route of flight. The departure, cruise, and initial descent portions of the flight were uneventful. The captain reportedly turned on the seatbelt sign when the flight was passing through flight level 180. About 50 miles outside of KPHL, the flight crew identified a small band of cumulus clouds between 13,000 feet and 9,000 feet. The captain made a public-address announcement to the passengers reminding them to have their seatbelts fastened and alerted them to the possibility of some minor turbulence as they passed through the clouds. Prior to descending through 10,000 feet, the flight encountered moderate turbulence for approximately 3-5 seconds. There were no pilot reports or advisories from air traffic control about turbulence in the area. When the turbulence was encountered, the D flight attendant (FA) was in the aft galley performing final landing preparations and was lifted into the air and thrown the floor near the last row of passenger seats. She was assisted by other FA's but remained on the floor for the remainder of the flight due to her injured leg. Paramedics met the airplane at the gate and transported the flight attendant to the hospital where she was diagnosed with fractures to her tibia and fibula.

Aircraft

Registration
N936UW
Reported as
Boeing 757 2B7 (2B7)
Category
Airplane
Serial number
27244
Built
1994
Airframe hours
59,240
Engines
Rolls-Royc RB.211 SERIES, 40,100 lbs thrust, turbo fanRolls-Royc RB.211 SERIES, 40,100 lbs thrust, turbo fan
Damage
No damage
Flight
Part 121
Operator
American Airlines
Registered owner
Wells Fargo Bank Northwest Na Trustee
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Transport
Last inspection
Continuous airworthiness · June 6, 2012
Departed
SJU · San Juan, PR
Destination
KPHL · Philadelphia, PA
Flight plan
IFR
Airport
PHL · Philadelphia Intl
Equipment
Stall warning system, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, Data recorder

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
61
Injuries
None
Certificates
Airline transport, Flight engineer
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 1, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
March 14, 2012
Seat
Left
Restraint
5-point
Flight hours
22,973 total · 886 in this make and model · 5,864 as pilot in command · 195 in the last 90 days · 85 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Role
Co-pilot
Age
57
Injuries
None
Certificates
Airline transport, Flight engineer
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
Last flight review
October 16, 2011
Seat
Right
Restraint
5-point
Flight hours
19,770 total · 5,870 in this make and model · 5,643 as pilot in command · 245 in the last 90 days · 92 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
15 knots
Lowest ceiling
13,000 ft
Turbulence
Moderate

Docket · 5

The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 12, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 12.9 MB 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.