# NTSB DCA13CA128: Boeing 777-232, N863DA, Atlanta, GA, July 12, 2013

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: July 12, 2013, 05:38 local (09:38 UTC)
- Place: Atlanta, GA
- Coordinates: 33.909999, -84.083053 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.9100&lon=-84.0831&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, 278 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report September 1, 2015
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Major Investigations Division
- NTSB case key (mKey): 87472
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA13CA128
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/87472/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=87472
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA13CA128

## Probable cause

Unexpected encounter with convective turbulence while the flight attendants were preparing 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: [Boeing 777-232, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032020/cases.md?model=1385232), [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: [Boeing 777-232, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md?model=1385232), [All aircraft, 423 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md)

## Analysis

According to the flight and cabin crew statements, Atlanta Approach Control advised the crew that radar was showing an area of rain on the arrival route although the flight crew did not see any areas of precipitation on the airborne weather radar. During the descent to 11,000 feet the seatbelt sign was illuminated and the captain, who was the pilot monitoring, cycled the seatbelt sign and called the flight attendant (FA) at the 1L door via the interphone to notify the cabin crew to be seated. Before the 1L flight attendant was able to relay the message to all of the FAs to be seated, as they were all preparing the cabin for arrival, the airplane encountered several distinct jolts of turbulence. According to the flight data recorder data, as the airplane was descending through about 13,200 feet, the vertical acceleration fluctuated between +1.56 g's and +0.024 g's over a period of about 10 seconds. During the turbulence the 4Rc FA who was in the aisle near the 3R door was lifted into the air and fell back down to the floor on her feet and knees. The FA was assisted to the 3R jumpseat, the flight crew was notified of the injury, and they requested paramedics meet the airplane upon arrival The 4Rc FA was transported to the hospital where she was diagnosed with two broken ankles.

## Factual narrative

According to the flight and cabin crew statements, Atlanta Approach Control advised the crew that radar was showing an area of rain on the arrival route although the flight crew did not see any areas of precipitation on the airborne weather radar. During the descent to 11,000 feet the seatbelt sign was illuminated and the captain, who was the pilot monitoring, cycled the seatbelt sign and called the flight attendant (FA) at the 1L door via the interphone to notify the cabin crew to be seated. Before the 1L flight attendant was able to relay the message to all of the FAs to be seated, as they were all preparing the cabin for arrival, the airplane encountered several distinct jolts of turbulence. According to the flight data recorder data, as the airplane was descending through about 13,200 feet, the vertical acceleration fluctuated between +1.56 g's and +0.024 g's over a period of about 10 seconds. During the turbulence the 4Rc FA who was in the aisle near the 3R door was lifted into the air and fell back down to the floor on her feet and knees. The FA was assisted to the 3R jumpseat, the flight crew was notified of the injury, and they requested paramedics meet the airplane upon arrival The 4Rc FA was transported to the hospital where she was diagnosed with two broken ankles.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N863DA](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N863DA), registered now, S/N 29735, built 1999 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BOEING 777-232
- Registry model: [Boeing 777-232](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-777-232) (registry code 1385232) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Rolls-Royce RB-211 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rolls-royce-rb-211-series) (registry code 54555, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 29735
- Engines: ROLLS-ROYC RB.211 SERIES 22000 lbs thrust turbo jet; ROLLS-ROYC RB.211 SERIES 22000 lbs thrust turbo jet
- Damage: No damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Operator: Delta Air Lines Inc
- Registered owner: Delta Air Lines Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Departed: OMDB, Dubai
- Destination: KATL, Atlanta, GA
- Flight plan: IFR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 56; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, unknown; last flight review May 5, 2013; seat: left; flight hours: 13,394 total, 1,136 in this make and model, 5,757 as pilot in command, 87 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 24 hours
- Co-pilot; age 52; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, unknown; last flight review January 15, 2013; seat: right; flight hours: 9,499 total, 616 in this make and model, 517 as pilot in command, 94 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 4,800 ft broken
- Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observed at: KATL, 29 nm away

## Other investigations on N863DA (1)

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.

- [NTSB DCA07WA041](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA07WA041), May 12, 2007: Boeing 777-200ER (N863DA), Tel Aviv, Israel, incident, minor damage

## Docket (5 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 1, 2015, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=87472. 4.3 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=40399797&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF
- Crew Statements (item 2, .PDF, 211 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40399834&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Crew%20Statements-Redacted.PDF
- Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation (item 3, .PDF, 245 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40399804&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20Party%20Representatives%20to%20NTSB%20Investigation-Redacted.PDF
- Flight Data Recorder 10 - Specialist's Factual Report (item 4, .PDF, 360 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40400088&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Flight%20Data%20Recorder%2010%20-%20Specialist%27s%20Factual%20Report-Master.PDF
- Flight Data Recorder 10 - Attachment 1 - Tabular Data - (CSV Format) (item 5, ZIP, 2.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40400094&FileExtension=zip&FileName=Flight%20Data%20Recorder%2010%20-%20Attachment%201%20-%20Tabular%20Data%20-%20(CSV%20Format)-Master

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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