- Date
- March 4, 2014, 23:00 local (Mar 5, 2014, 07:00 UTC)
- Place
- San Diego, CA
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 186 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Prior to flight
- Aircraft
- N809DNBoeing 737 - 932ER
- Defining event
- Prior to flight: Cabin safety event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 19, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Major Investigations Division
- Case key
- 89175
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
the flight attendant's inadvertent trip and fall over a passenger bag that was in the aisle.
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 March 4, 2014, about 2300 Pacific standard time, a flight attendant (FA) on Delta Air Lines flight 1248, a Boeing 737-900ER, N809DN, tripped over a passenger's bag while the passengers were boarding at San Diego International Airport (SAN), San Diego, California. The captain stated that he and the first officer were in the cockpit performing preflight duties as passengers were boarding. He said he heard a crash and looked back and saw that the lead FA had tripped over a passenger bag. The lead FA stated that she was carrying a tray with pre-departure drinks in the First Class cabin when she tripped over a passenger's bag that was in the aisle. She stated that the tray had obscured her view of the floor. The FA was transported to the hospital and diagnosed with a broken arm.
Factual narrative
On March 4, 2014, about 2300 Pacific standard time, a flight attendant (FA) on Delta Air Lines flight 1248, a Boeing 737-900ER, N809DN, tripped over a passenger's bag while the passengers were boarding at San Diego International Airport (SAN), San Diego, California. The captain stated that he and the first officer were in the cockpit performing preflight duties as passengers were boarding. He said he heard a crash and looked back and saw that the lead FA had tripped over a passenger bag. The lead FA stated that she was carrying a tray with pre-departure drinks in the First Class cabin when she tripped over a passenger's bag that was in the aisle. She stated that the tray had obscured her view of the floor. The FA was transported to the hospital and diagnosed with a broken arm.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N809DN
- Reported as
- Boeing 737 - 932ER (932ER)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 31915
- Built
- 2013
- Airframe hours
- 885
- Engines
- CFM International CFM56-7B27E, 28,400 lbs thrust, turbo fanCFM International CFM56-7B27E, 28,400 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- Delta Air Lines
- Registered owner
- Delta Air Lines
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · March 1, 2014
- Departed
- SAN · San Diego, CA
- Destination
- DTW · Detroit, MI
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- SAN · San Diego International
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
- 53
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1
- Last flight review
- February 20, 2014
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 12,264 total · 37 in this make and model · 37 in the last 90 days
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Age
- 43
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 3,064 total · 1,668 in this make and model · 107 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 20° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.07 inHg
- Icing
- Unknown
- Turbulence
- Unknown
- Observed at
- SAN
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 19, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 862 KB in all.