- Date
- May 14, 2016, 19:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Philadelphia, PA
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 140 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N103USAirbus Industrie A320 214
- Defining event
- Approach: Turbulence encounter
- Weather
- Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report April 6, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Major Investigations Division
- Lead agency
- Other
- Case key
- 93169
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 that resulted in a serious injury to a flight attendant.
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 May 14, 2016, at about 1900 EDT, American Airlines flight 762, an Airbus A320, N103US, during descent into Philadelphia International Airport (KPHL), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a flight attendant received a serious injury while trying to put his jump seat down during turbulence. Of the 136 passengers and 5 crew members on board only the flight attendant was injured. The flight was operating under 14 Code of Federal Regulation part 121 as a scheduled passenger flight from Chicago O'Hare International Airport (KORD), Chicago, Illinois. During the descent into KPHL, the flight crew notified the flight attendants and made a public address announcement that there might be possible turbulence. According to the flight crew, there were no pilot reports of any turbulence ahead and there were no cells noted on the weather radar. Shortly after making the announcement,, the flight experience moderate chop for a minute or two and the flight crew reduced airspeed and advised ATC of the moderate chop. The C flight attendant was sitting down in his aft jumpseat when the turbulence was encountered, and was tossed him into the air and back down, causing him to crush his left hand in the jumpseat. The fight crew was informed of his injury and they coordinated to have medical personnel meet the airplane upon arrival in KPHL. The injured flight attendant was transported to the hospital and diagnosed with a broken left hand.
Factual narrative
On May 14, 2016, at about 1900 EDT, American Airlines flight 762, an Airbus A320, N103US, during descent into Philadelphia International Airport (KPHL), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a flight attendant received a serious injury while trying to put his jump seat down during turbulence. Of the 136 passengers and 5 crew members on board only the flight attendant was injured. The flight was operating under 14 Code of Federal Regulation part 121 as a scheduled passenger flight from Chicago O'Hare International Airport (KORD), Chicago, Illinois. During the descent into KPHL, the flight crew notified the flight attendants and made a public address announcement that there might be possible turbulence. According to the flight crew, there were no pilot reports of any turbulence ahead and there were no cells noted on the weather radar. Shortly after making the announcement,, the flight experience moderate chop for a minute or two and the flight crew reduced airspeed and advised ATC of the moderate chop. The C flight attendant was sitting down in his aft jumpseat when the turbulence was encountered, and was tossed him into the air and back down, causing him to crush his left hand in the jumpseat. The fight crew was informed of his injury and they coordinated to have medical personnel meet the airplane upon arrival in KPHL. The injured flight attendant was transported to the hospital and diagnosed with a broken left hand.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N103US
- Reported as
- Airbus Industrie A320 214 (214)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 0861
- Built
- 1999
- Engines
- CFM Intl. CFM56 SERIES, turbo fanCFM Intl. CFM56 SERIES, turbo fan
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- American Airlines Inc
- Registered owner
- Wells Fargo Bank Northwest Na Trustee
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Departed
- KORD · Chicago, IL
- Destination
- KPHL · Philadelphia, PA
- Flight plan
- IFR
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
- 60
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 2, 2015
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 26,755 total · 1,744 in this make and model
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Age
- 35
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 21, 2015
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 9,656 total · 1,029 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Dusk
- Wind
- 240° at 47 knots
- Icing
- Unknown
- Turbulence
- Moderate
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 30, 2021, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 485 KB in all.