# NTSB DCA15CA131: Bombardier CL600 2D24, N246LR, McCook, NE, June 10, 2015 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: June 10, 2015, 16:14 local (21:14 UTC) - Place: McCook, NE - Coordinates: 40.189103, -100.61631 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.1891&lon=-100.6163&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Turbulence encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 4 minor, 75 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 8, 2016 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Major Investigations Division - NTSB case key (mKey): 91347 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA15CA131 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/91347/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91347 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA15CA131 ## Probable cause inadvertent encounter with turbulence while deviating around an area of known convective activity. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Convective weather: thunderstorm](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03033010): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Contributed to outcome (probable cause); cases with it: [Bombardier CL-600-2D24, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03033010/cases.md?model=1390016), [All aircraft, 100 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03033010/cases.md) - [Turbulence: convective turbulence](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032020): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Bombardier CL-600-2D24, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032020/cases.md?model=1390016), [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-cruise: Turbulence encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360) (defining event); cases with it: [Bombardier CL-600-2D24, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md?model=1390016), [All aircraft, 423 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the flight crew, they were deviating around known convective activity and anticipated some turbulence. The flight crew stated they selected the fasten seatbelt sign on approximately two minutes prior to the turbulence encounter. The flight was level at FL370 about 80 miles southwest of McCook, Nebraska when they encountered turbulence characterized by the flight crew as severe. FDR data indicated the airplane was level with airspeed of 258 knots, when the airspeed momentarily increased to 268 knots and varied between 268 and 244 knots over the next 10 seconds. There was an approximately 10 second period of fluctuations in both vertical and lateral acceleration. The vertical acceleration fluctuated between -.55 g's to a peak of +1.64 g's while lateral acceleration changed from -.13 g's to +.23 g within three seconds. The flight attendant in the forward jumpseat was making an announcement regarding the seatbelt sign and hit her head on the back of the jumpseat when the flight encountered turbulence. She reported that she saw a passenger in the rear of the cabin thrown against the ceiling and then back down to the floor and another passenger displaced from her seat hit her head on the overhead storage compartments. A passenger in the aft lavatory was thrown against the ceiling and wall and two additional passengers were displaced from their seats. The cabin crew contacted the flight crew to notify them of the injuries, and the flight crew arranged for paramedics to meet the airplane at the destination airport. Three passengers were transported to a local hospital. All were treated and released; one was diagnosed with a dislocated shoulder and a chipped bone. ## Factual narrative According to the flight crew, they were deviating around known convective activity and anticipated some turbulence. The flight crew stated they selected the fasten seatbelt sign on approximately two minutes prior to the turbulence encounter. The flight was level at FL370 about 80 miles southwest of McCook, Nebraska when they encountered turbulence characterized by the flight crew as severe. FDR data indicated the airplane was level with airspeed of 258 knots, when the airspeed momentarily increased to 268 knots and varied between 268 and 244 knots over the next 10 seconds. There was an approximately 10 second period of fluctuations in both vertical and lateral acceleration. The vertical acceleration fluctuated between -.55 g's to a peak of +1.64 g's while lateral acceleration changed from -.13 g's to +.23 g within three seconds. The flight attendant in the forward jumpseat was making an announcement regarding the seatbelt sign and hit her head on the back of the jumpseat when the flight encountered turbulence. She reported that she saw a passenger in the rear of the cabin thrown against the ceiling and then back down to the floor and another passenger displaced from her seat hit her head on the overhead storage compartments. A passenger in the aft lavatory was thrown against the ceiling and wall and two additional passengers were displaced from their seats. The cabin crew contacted the flight crew to notify them of the injuries, and the flight crew arranged for paramedics to meet the airplane at the destination airport. Three passengers were transported to a local hospital. All were treated and released; one was diagnosed with a dislocated shoulder and a chipped bone. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N246LR](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N246LR), registered now, S/N 15239, built 2009 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BOMBARDIER INC CL600 2D24 (900) - Registry model: [Bombardier CL-600-2D24](https://openairdocs.org/model/bombardier-cl-600-2d24) (registry code 1390016) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [GE CF34-8C5](https://openairdocs.org/engine/ge-cf34-8c5) (registry code 30050, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 15239 - Year built: 2009 - Airframe hours: 10018.5 - Engines: General Electric CF34-8C5 13360 lbs thrust turbo fan; General Electric CF34-8C5 13360 lbs thrust turbo fan - Damage: No damage - Flight: Part 121 - Operator: Mesa Airlines Inc - Registered owner: Mesa Airlines Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, June 10, 2015 - Departed: KPHX, Phoenix, AZ - Destination: KDSM, Des Moines, IA - Flight plan: IFR - Equipment: Electronic primary flight display, Onboard weather, Stall warning system, Angle of attack indicator, Auto-pilot, Data recorder, Electronic multifunction display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 47; injuries: none; commercial, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review February 12, 2015; seat: left; flight hours: 11,800 total, 6,114 in this make and model, 8,345 as pilot in command, 186 in the last 90 days, 29 in the last 30 days, 11 in the last 24 hours - Co-pilot; age 25; injuries: none; flight instructor, airline transport, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review October 27, 2014; seat: right; flight hours: 1,564 total, 356 in this make and model, 547 as pilot in command, 160 in the last 90 days, 49 in the last 30 days, 7 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Day - Turbulence: Unknown ## 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 20150610011239A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150610011239A), Jun 10, 2015: Bombardier Inc CL-600-2D24, Mccook, NE, No damage. Commercial airline flight encountered turbulence at FL370 over Nebraska enroute to Iowa. During an assessment of the situation, it was discovered that 5 pax… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 8, 2016, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91347. 25.1 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 601 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40438671&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Crew Statements (item 2, .PDF, 111 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40438672&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Crew%20Statements-Master.PDF - Flight Data Recorder - Specialist's Factual Report (item 3, .PDF, 241 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40438673&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Flight%20Data%20Recorder%20-%20Specialist%27s%20Factual%20Report-Master.PDF - Flight Data Recorder - Attachment 1 (FDR tabular data for event flight) (item 4, .CSV, 22.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40438674&FileExtension=.csv&FileName=Flight%20Data%20Recorder%20-%20Attachment%201%20(FDR%20tabular%20data%20for%20event%20flight)-Master.csv - Meteorology Study (item 5, .PDF, 2.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40438675&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Meteorology%20Study-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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.