# NTSB DCA15CA136: Boeing 777 - 236, Windsor Locks, CT, May 27, 2015 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: May 27, 2015, 19:33 local (23:33 UTC) - Place: Windsor Locks, CT - Coordinates: 41.931667, -72.733055 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.9317&lon=-72.7331&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, 1 minor, 197 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 8, 2016 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Major Investigations Division - NTSB case key (mKey): 91392 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA15CA136 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/91392/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91392 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA15CA136 ## Probable cause an inadvertent encounter with convective turbulence resulting in serious injury to a flight attendant. ## 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: [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: [All aircraft, 423 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to flight crew statements, they could see a line of clouds ahead of the airplane during descent and the flight encountered turbulence soon after entering the clouds. FDR data indicated the airplane was level at 14,000 feet at about 280 knots when there was an approximately 10 second period of fluctuations in both vertical and lateral acceleration. The vertical acceleration fluctuated between about +.426 g's and +1.723 g's and lateral acceleration fluctuated from about +.156 g's to -.211 g's. According to flight attendant (FA) statements, the flight encountered three "jolts" of turbulence about 30 minutes before landing. At the time of the turbulence, one FA was assisting a passenger with a drink in the aft galley. The FA braced herself during the turbulence, however, a passenger standing by the galley fell onto the FAs left lower leg, pinning her to the floor. The FA was assisted into the last row of seats in the cabin where she remained for the rest of the flight and the passenger required assistance to return to her seat. The flight crew indicated that the seatbelt sign was selected on about 5 minutes prior to the turbulence encounter, however, no PA announcement was made. The FAs reported that the seatbelt sign was not turned on until after a FA called the flight deck after the turbulence encounter. The flight crew advised ATC of the injuries and requested paramedics meet the airplane at EWR. The FA was transported to the hospital and diagnosed with two acute fractures of the left fibula. ## Factual narrative According to flight crew statements, they could see a line of clouds ahead of the airplane during descent and the flight encountered turbulence soon after entering the clouds. FDR data indicated the airplane was level at 14,000 feet at about 280 knots when there was an approximately 10 second period of fluctuations in both vertical and lateral acceleration. The vertical acceleration fluctuated between about +.426 g's and +1.723 g's and lateral acceleration fluctuated from about +.156 g's to -.211 g's. According to flight attendant (FA) statements, the flight encountered three "jolts" of turbulence about 30 minutes before landing. At the time of the turbulence, one FA was assisting a passenger with a drink in the aft galley. The FA braced herself during the turbulence, however, a passenger standing by the galley fell onto the FAs left lower leg, pinning her to the floor. The FA was assisted into the last row of seats in the cabin where she remained for the rest of the flight and the passenger required assistance to return to her seat. The flight crew indicated that the seatbelt sign was selected on about 5 minutes prior to the turbulence encounter, however, no PA announcement was made. The FAs reported that the seatbelt sign was not turned on until after a FA called the flight deck after the turbulence encounter. The flight crew advised ATC of the injuries and requested paramedics meet the airplane at EWR. The FA was transported to the hospital and diagnosed with two acute fractures of the left fibula. ## Aircraft - Registration: G-VIIY (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: BOEING 777 - 236 (236) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 29967 - Year built: 1999 - Airframe hours: 70564 - Engines: General Electric GE90-85BG11 85000 lbs thrust turbo fan; General Electric GE90-85BG11 85000 lbs thrust turbo fan - Damage: No damage - Flight: Part 129 - Operator: British Airways - Registered owner: British Airways - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, May 27, 2015 - Departed: LHR, London - Destination: EWR, Newark, NJ - Flight plan: IFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 45; injuries: none; flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review April 12, 2015; seat: left; flight hours: 11,240 total, 7,200 in this make and model, 2,921 as pilot in command, 166 in the last 90 days, 58 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours - Co-pilot; age 36; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review May 10, 2015; seat: right; flight hours: 3,640 total, 140 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 180° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 2,700 ft broken - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 64 °F - Altimeter: 30.12 inHg - Turbulence: Unknown - Observed at: KBDL, 3 nm away ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 8, 2016, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91392. 3.4 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 605 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40438676&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Flight Data Recorder Review - British Airways (item 2, .PDF, 536 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40438677&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Flight%20Data%20Recorder%20Review%20-%20British%20Airways-Master.PDF - Employee Statements - Company Incident Report (item 3, .PDF, 2.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40438678&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Employee%20Statements%20-%20Company%20Incident%20Report-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.