- Date
- November 24, 2014, 19:20 UTC
- Place
- Valdosta, GA
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 12 minor, 146 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N16217Boeing 737 824
- Defining event
- Enroute-cruise: Turbulence encounter
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 1, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Major Investigations Division
- FAA report
- 20141124022559A
- Case key
- 90493
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 clear air turbulence while the flight attendants were returning to their seats.
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
While in cruise at FL340 and experiencing occasional light chop, the flight crew was notified by ATC of pilot reports of moderate turbulence along their route of flight. The seatbelt sign was on and the captain advised the flight attendants (FA) to stow galley carts and be seated. The first officer subsequently made a PA announcement to advise passengers to remain seated with seatbelts fastened and for FAs to be seated immediately. Soon after this, the airplane encountered turbulence, categorized by the flight crew as severe, which resulted in altitude fluctuation ± 300 feet. The FAs were in the process of returning the meal service carts to the aft galley when the turbulence was encountered and reported that they, along with the service carts, were lifted off the floor about three times. One FA reported being thrown into the ceiling and back to the seats and floor. The lead FA advised the flight crew that some of the passengers and FAs had received minor injuries but none requested medical attention. The flight continued to ORD and landed uneventfully and emergency medical met the airplane at the gate as a precautionary measure. After returning home, one flight attendant was diagnosed with a fractured lumbar vertebra.
Factual narrative
While in cruise at FL340 and experiencing occasional light chop, the flight crew was notified by ATC of pilot reports of moderate turbulence along their route of flight. The seatbelt sign was on and the captain advised the flight attendants (FA) to stow galley carts and be seated. The first officer subsequently made a PA announcement to advise passengers to remain seated with seatbelts fastened and for FAs to be seated immediately. Soon after this, the airplane encountered turbulence, categorized by the flight crew as severe, which resulted in altitude fluctuation ± 300 feet. The FAs were in the process of returning the meal service carts to the aft galley when the turbulence was encountered and reported that they, along with the service carts, were lifted off the floor about three times. One FA reported being thrown into the ceiling and back to the seats and floor. The lead FA advised the flight crew that some of the passengers and FAs had received minor injuries but none requested medical attention. The flight continued to ORD and landed uneventfully and emergency medical met the airplane at the gate as a precautionary measure. After returning home, one flight attendant was diagnosed with a fractured lumbar vertebra.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N16217
- Reported as
- Boeing 737 824 (824)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28777
- Built
- 1998
- Engines
- CFM Intl. CFM56 SERIES, turbo fanCFM Intl. CFM56 SERIES, turbo fan
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- United Air Lines Inc
- Registered owner
- Wells Fargo Bank Northwest Na Trustee
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Departed
- SRQ · Sarasota, FL
- Destination
- ORD · Chicago, IL
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Equipment
- Onboard weather, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Data recorder, Auto-pilot, Angle of attack indicator, Stall warning system
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
- 43
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 18, 2014
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 13,100 total · 6,653 in this make and model
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Age
- 45
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 31, 2014
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 7,500 total · 6,000 in this make and model · 2,500 as pilot in command · 240 in the last 90 days · 70 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Turbulence
- Severe
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 14, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 885 KB 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.