# NTSB DCA15LA067: Boeing 767, N59053, Honolulu (Pacific Ocean), February 15, 2015 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 15, 2015, 01:03 UTC - Place: Honolulu (Pacific Ocean) - Coordinates: 22.608888, -153.843048 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=22.6089&lon=-153.8430&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Turbulence encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 4 minor, 245 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 8, 2020 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Major Investigations Division - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 90744 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA15LA067 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/90744/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=90744 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA15LA067 ## Probable cause an encounter with convective turbulence associated with a forecasted area of thunderstorms. ## 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 767-424ER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032020/cases.md?model=1385270), [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: Turbulence encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360) (defining event); cases with it: [Boeing 767-424ER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md?model=1385270), [All aircraft, 423 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md) ## Analysis On February 15, 2015, about 0103 coordinated universal time, United Airlines flight 15, a Boeing 767-400ER, N59053, encountered severe turbulence over the Pacific Ocean while enroute to Honolulu International Airport (HNL), Honolulu, Hawaii. Of the 250 passengers and crew onboard, one flight attendant was seriously injured, and three flight attendants and one passenger sustained minor injuries. The airplane was not damaged. The flight was operating under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 as a regularly scheduled passenger flight from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), Newark, New Jersey, to HNL. The flight was uneventful from EWR across the continental United States. Once over the Pacific Ocean, the flight received an ACARS message from dispatch advising of an area of possible embedded thunderstorms. The flight experienced light to moderate turbulence for most of the remaining flight, which required the seat belt sign to remain on most of the time. About an hour from HNL, the captain returned early from his crew rest time because he noticed that the flight was encountering areas of moderate turbulence. Prior to entering the flight deck, the captain noticed that the flight attendants (FA) were seated in their jumpseats and advised the lead FA to not conduct the final service and remain seated. Shortly after retaking the left seat, and as the flight was passing immediately south of a line of embedded of the forecasted thunderstorms, the captain requested a descent from their cruising altitude of flight level (FL)360 to FL240. The flight crew reported they were in instrument meteorological conditions with precipitation during the descent. The weather radar was on and the seatbelt sign was illuminated. The flight encountered an area of severe turbulence for about 30 seconds as it was descending through FL254. The flight data recorder data indicate that the vertical acceleration fluctuated between about -0.17 g's and +1.62 g's, the lateral acceleration fluctuated between about -0.09 g's and +0.11 g's, and the roll fluctuated between about 5° left and 12° right. At the time of the turbulence, the FAs were securing the galleys, preparing the cabin for landing, and distributing agriculture documents. Four flight attendants (FA) in the aft galley were thrown against the ceiling and back to the floor, injuring all four. After being notified of the serious injuries, the flight crew declared an emergency with air traffic control and arranged for medical personnel to meet the aircraft at HNL. The four flight attendants were transported to the hospital where one flight attendant was diagnosed with a fractured arm and the other three were released with minor injuries. After landing the crew were notified by a passenger that their child had suffered a bloody nose, who was treated but not transported to the hospital. ## Factual narrative On February 15, 2015, about 0103 coordinated universal time, United Airlines flight 15, a Boeing 767-400ER, N59053, encountered severe turbulence over the Pacific Ocean while enroute to Honolulu International Airport (HNL), Honolulu, Hawaii. Of the 250 passengers and crew onboard, one flight attendant was seriously injured, and three flight attendants and one passenger sustained minor injuries. The airplane was not damaged. The flight was operating under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 as a regularly scheduled passenger flight from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), Newark, New Jersey, to HNL. The flight was uneventful from EWR across the continental United States. Once over the Pacific Ocean, the flight received an ACARS message from dispatch advising of an area of possible embedded thunderstorms. The flight experienced light to moderate turbulence for most of the remaining flight, which required the seat belt sign to remain on most of the time. About an hour from HNL, the captain returned early from his crew rest time because he noticed that the flight was encountering areas of moderate turbulence. Prior to entering the flight deck, the captain noticed that the flight attendants (FA) were seated in their jumpseats and advised the lead FA to not conduct the final service and remain seated. Shortly after retaking the left seat, and as the flight was passing immediately south of a line of embedded of the forecasted thunderstorms, the captain requested a descent from their cruising altitude of flight level (FL)360 to FL240. The flight crew reported they were in instrument meteorological conditions with precipitation during the descent. The weather radar was on and the seatbelt sign was illuminated. The flight encountered an area of severe turbulence for about 30 seconds as it was descending through FL254. The flight data recorder data indicate that the vertical acceleration fluctuated between about -0.17 g's and +1.62 g's, the lateral acceleration fluctuated between about -0.09 g's and +0.11 g's, and the roll fluctuated between about 5° left and 12° right. At the time of the turbulence, the FAs were securing the galleys, preparing the cabin for landing, and distributing agriculture documents. Four flight attendants (FA) in the aft galley were thrown against the ceiling and back to the floor, injuring all four. After being notified of the serious injuries, the flight crew declared an emergency with air traffic control and arranged for medical personnel to meet the aircraft at HNL. The four flight attendants were transported to the hospital where one flight attendant was diagnosed with a fractured arm and the other three were released with minor injuries. After landing the crew were notified by a passenger that their child had suffered a bloody nose, who was treated but not transported to the hospital. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N59053](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N59053), registered now, S/N 29448, built 2000 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BOEING 767 (400ER) - Registry model: [Boeing 767-424ER](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-767-424er) (registry code 1385270) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [GE CF6-80 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/ge-cf6-80-series) (registry code 30025, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 29448 - Year built: 2000 - Airframe hours: 63732 - Damage: No damage - Flight: Part 121 - Operator: United Air Lines Inc - Registered owner: United Airlines Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, February 14, 2015 - Departed: KEWR, Newark, NJ - Destination: KHNL, Honolulu, HI - Flight plan: IFR - Equipment: Onboard weather, Data recorder, Auto-pilot, Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 61; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review June 11, 2014; seat: left; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 30,000 total, 6,000 in this make and model, 168 in the last 90 days, 40 in the last 30 days, 10 in the last 24 hours - Co-pilot; age 51; injuries: none; airline transport, commercial, flight engineer; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: helicopter, airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review January 4, 2014; seat: right; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 15,000 total, 7,500 in this make and model, 6,000 as pilot in command, 225 in the last 90 days, 80 in the last 30 days, 10 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day - Wind: 257° at 97 knots - Temperature: -13 °F - Altimeter: 29.92 inHg - Turbulence: Severe ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 14, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=90744. 2.9 MB in all. - Crew Statements (item 1, .PDF, 435 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40485325&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Crew%20Statements-Master.PDF - Selected Flight Data Recorder Data provided by UAL (item 2, XLSX, 31 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40485326&FileExtension=xlsx&FileName=Selected%20Flight%20Data%20Recorder%20Data%20provided%20by%20UAL-Master - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 3, .PDF, 2.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40485327&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-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.