- Date
- October 1, 2015, 11:18 local (15:18 UTC)
- Place
- Nassau, Bahamas
- Injuries
- 2 serious, 4 minor, 73 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N9026CAirbus A319
- Defining event
- Enroute-cruise: Turbulence encounter
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 5, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Major Investigations Division
- Case key
- 92107
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 convective turbulence.
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 October 1, 2015, at about 1118 eastern daylight time, American Airlines flight 982, an Airbus 319-100, N9026C, encountered turbulence for about 15 seconds during cruise while enroute from Maurice Bishop International Airport (TGPY), St. George's, Grenada, to Miami International Airport (KMIA), Miami, Florida. Two passengers were seriously injured, three passengers and one flight attendant received minor injuries, and the airplane was not damaged. The flight was operating under 14 CFR Part 121 as a regularly scheduled international passenger flight from TGPY to KMIA. According to the operator, the seat belt sign was on and onboard radar was being utilized by the flight crew when the turbulence was encountered during cruise at Flight Level 360 in instrument meteorological conditions. After being informed of the possible injuries to the passengers and crew, the flight crew declared an emergency and subsequently landed at KMIA without further incident. Paramedics met the flight upon arrival at the gate and transported two passengers and one flight attendant to the hospital. The flight attendant was diagnosed with a minor injury and released. One passenger was diagnosed with a cervical spine fracture and the other passenger was diagnosed with a cracked rib and possible cracked vertebra.
Factual narrative
On October 1, 2015, at about 1118 eastern daylight time, American Airlines flight 982, an Airbus 319-100, N9026C, encountered turbulence for about 15 seconds during cruise while enroute from Maurice Bishop International Airport (TGPY), St. George's, Grenada, to Miami International Airport (KMIA), Miami, Florida. Two passengers were seriously injured, three passengers and one flight attendant received minor injuries, and the airplane was not damaged. The flight was operating under 14 CFR Part 121 as a regularly scheduled international passenger flight from TGPY to KMIA. According to the operator, the seat belt sign was on and onboard radar was being utilized by the flight crew when the turbulence was encountered during cruise at Flight Level 360 in instrument meteorological conditions. After being informed of the possible injuries to the passengers and crew, the flight crew declared an emergency and subsequently landed at KMIA without further incident. Paramedics met the flight upon arrival at the gate and transported two passengers and one flight attendant to the hospital. The flight attendant was diagnosed with a minor injury and released. One passenger was diagnosed with a cervical spine fracture and the other passenger was diagnosed with a cracked rib and possible cracked vertebra.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9026C
- Reported as
- Airbus A319 (100)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 6429
- Built
- 2015
- Airframe hours
- 1,858
- Engines
- Snecama/Ge CFM56-5B7, 27,000 lbs thrust, turbo fanSnecama/Ge CFM56-5B7, 27,000 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- American Airlines Inc
- Registered owner
- American Airlines Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · September 29, 2015
- Departed
- GND · St. Georges, AO
- Destination
- MIA · Miami, FL
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Equipment
- Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, Data recorder, Auto-pilot, Stall warning system, Onboard weather
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 · 5
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 54
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 1, 2015
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 11,473 total · 1,518 in this make and model · 2,270 as pilot in command · 208 in the last 90 days · 83 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Co-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
- August 25, 2015
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 9,224 total · 912 in this make and model · 94 in the last 90 days · 58 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Cabin crew
- Injuries
- None
- Role
- Cabin crew
- Injuries
- Minor
- Role
- Cabin crew
- Injuries
- None
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Turbulence
- Severe
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 13, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 7.4 MB in all.