# NTSB DCA12CA149: Airbus Industrie A330-323, N273AY, Sophia, NC, September 18, 2012

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: September 18, 2012, 12:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place: Sophia, NC
- Coordinates: 35, -79
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.0000&lon=-79.0000&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, 158 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report April 3, 2013
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Major Investigations Division
- NTSB case key (mKey): 85132
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA12CA149
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/85132/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=85132
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA12CA149

## Probable cause

an encounter with moderate turbulence while the flight attendant was securing the cabin for arrival.

## 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: [Airbus Industrie A330-323, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032020/cases.md?model=3930335), [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-descent: Turbulence encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360) (defining event); cases with it: [Airbus Industrie A330-323, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md?model=3930335), [All aircraft, 423 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md)

## Analysis

On September 18th, 2012 at approximately 1230 EDT, an Airbus A330, N273AY, operated by US Airways as flight 707 from Frankfurt, Germany (FRA) to Charlotte, NC (CLT) encountered severe turbulence on descent into CLT. During the encounter, a flight attendant was seriously injured. According to the operator, on descent into CLT the flight crew received an ACARS message from the company dispatcher handling the flight. The dispatcher indicated that a SIGMET was issued for the North Carolina area with strong winds and embedded thunderstorms. The International Relief Officer (IRO) contacted the flight attendants to advise them they would be entering an area of possible turbulence in approximately 15 minutes. An announcement was also made to the passengers over the public address system advising them to remain seated and fasten their seat belts. The seat belt sign was illuminated. The airplane was descending through approximately 16,000 feet when it entered the clouds and encountered moderate turbulence. In the cabin, the flight attendants began preparing the cabin for arrival after receiving the turbulence advisory from the IRO. Several flight attendants were still out of their seats collecting service items and securing the galley when the turbulence encounter occurred. The "C" flight attendant was securing the aft galley during the encounter. She was lifted into the air, fell back down onto the cabin floor, and landed on her back. The "D" and "G" flight attendants also sustained minor injuries. The flight crew contacted the flight attendants after the encounter and were notified of their injuries. The flight crew arranged for paramedics to meet the flight and remove the injured flight attendants. The "C" flight attendant received a fracture to the distal tibia at the medial and lateral malleoli.

## Factual narrative

On September 18th, 2012 at approximately 1230 EDT, an Airbus A330, N273AY, operated by US Airways as flight 707 from Frankfurt, Germany (FRA) to Charlotte, NC (CLT) encountered severe turbulence on descent into CLT. During the encounter, a flight attendant was seriously injured. According to the operator, on descent into CLT the flight crew received an ACARS message from the company dispatcher handling the flight. The dispatcher indicated that a SIGMET was issued for the North Carolina area with strong winds and embedded thunderstorms. The International Relief Officer (IRO) contacted the flight attendants to advise them they would be entering an area of possible turbulence in approximately 15 minutes. An announcement was also made to the passengers over the public address system advising them to remain seated and fasten their seat belts. The seat belt sign was illuminated. The airplane was descending through approximately 16,000 feet when it entered the clouds and encountered moderate turbulence. In the cabin, the flight attendants began preparing the cabin for arrival after receiving the turbulence advisory from the IRO. Several flight attendants were still out of their seats collecting service items and securing the galley when the turbulence encounter occurred. The "C" flight attendant was securing the aft galley during the encounter. She was lifted into the air, fell back down onto the cabin floor, and landed on her back. The "D" and "G" flight attendants also sustained minor injuries. The flight crew contacted the flight attendants after the encounter and were notified of their injuries. The flight crew arranged for paramedics to meet the flight and remove the injured flight attendants. The "C" flight attendant received a fracture to the distal tibia at the medial and lateral malleoli.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N273AY](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N273AY-2024-01-04), registration cancelled 2024-01-04, S/N 0337, built 2000 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AIRBUS INDUSTRIE A330-323
- Registry model: [Airbus Industrie A330-323](https://openairdocs.org/model/airbus-industrie-a330-323) (registry code 3930335) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney PW4168A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-pw4168a) (registry code 51510, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 0337
- Engines: P & W PW4168A 68600 lbs thrust turbo fan; P & W PW4168A 68600 lbs thrust turbo fan
- Damage: No damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Operator: US Airways Inc
- Registered owner: Wells Fargo Bank Northwest Na Trustee
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Departed: EDDF, Frankfurt
- Destination: KCLT, Charlotte, NC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: KCLT, Charlotte-Douglas

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 64; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1; seat: left; flight hours: 25,343 total, 4,125 in this make and model
- Co-pilot; age 56; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1; seat: right; flight hours: 24,191 total, 1,353 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 230° at 12 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 1,700 ft broken
- Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter: 29.76 inHg
- Observed at: KGSO, 50 nm away

## 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 20120918023459A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120918023459A), Sep 18, 2012: Airbus Industrie A330-323, Sophia, NC, No damage. As reported by usaathis was just an employee illness/injury till the "c" flight attendant received a fracture to the distal tibia at the medial and lateral…

## Docket (4 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 3, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=85132. 1.4 MB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40379557&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF
- Operations 2 - Pilot Statements (item 2, .PDF, 22 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40379559&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Operations%202%20-%20Pilot%20Statements-Redacted.PDF
- Survival Factors 6 - Flight Attendant Statements (item 3, .PDF, 94 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40379560&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Survival%20Factors%206%20-%20Flight%20Attendant%20Statements-Redacted.PDF
- Meteorology 5 - Dispatch Release (item 4, .PDF, 48 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40379561&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Meteorology%205%20-%20Dispatch%20Release-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.

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