# NTSB DCA16CA153: Airbus Industrie A320 214, N103US, Philadelphia, PA, May 14, 2016

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: May 14, 2016, 19:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place: Philadelphia, PA
- Coordinates: 39.874443, -75.241943 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.8744&lon=-75.2419&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Approach: Turbulence encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious, 140 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report April 6, 2020
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Major Investigations Division
- Lead agency: Other
- NTSB case key (mKey): 93169
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA16CA153
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/93169/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=93169
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA16CA153

## Probable cause

an inadvertent encounter with clear air turbulence that resulted in a serious injury to a flight attendant.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Turbulence: clear air turbulence](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032015): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on personnel (probable cause); cases with it: [Airbus Industrie A320-214, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032015/cases.md?model=3930316), [All aircraft, 78 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032015/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Approach: Turbulence encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360) (defining event); cases with it: [Airbus Industrie A320-214, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md?model=3930316), [All aircraft, 423 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md)

## 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](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N103US), registered now, S/N 0861, built 1999 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AIRBUS INDUSTRIE A320 214 (214)
- Registry model: [Airbus Industrie A320-214](https://openairdocs.org/model/airbus-industrie-a320-214) (registry code 3930316) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [CFM International CFM56 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/cfm-international-cfm56-series) (registry code 13802, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 0861
- Year built: 1999
- Engines: CFM INTL. CFM56 SERIES turbo fan; CFM 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

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 60; injuries: none; 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
- Co-pilot; age 35; injuries: none; 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 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 30, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=93169. 485 KB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 485 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9383455&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=AA762%206120.1-Rel.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.

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