- Date
- August 3, 2016, 19:45 local (23:45 UTC)
- Place
- Grand Cayman Island (GCM), Cayman Islands
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 7 minor, 121 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N9010RAirbus A319 115
- Defining event
- Enroute-descent: Turbulence encounter
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report January 23, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Major Investigations Division
- Case key
- 93769
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.
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 August 3, 2016 at 7:45 pm eastern daylight time, American Airlines flight 1007, an Airbus A319, N9010R, encountered clear air turbulence on descent to the Owen Roberts International Airport (GCM), George Town, Cayman Islands. As a result of the turbulence, one passenger received serious injuries and four passengers and three flight attendants received minor injuries. None of the other passengers and crew were injured and the airplane was not damaged. The operator reported that while over international waters, the flight experienced moderate to severe turbulence for approximately 6-8 seconds while descending through FL180 into GCM. Both the autopilot and weather radar were on and operating at the time. The flight was in visual meteorological conditions and the crew had no warning of turbulence. The seat belt sign was on and had been on for approximately 10 minutes before the turbulence event occurred. The flight landed safely without further incident. The injured passenger was taken to the hospital and diagnosed with a fractured vertebra.
Factual narrative
On August 3, 2016 at 7:45 pm eastern daylight time, American Airlines flight 1007, an Airbus A319, N9010R, encountered clear air turbulence on descent to the Owen Roberts International Airport (GCM), George Town, Cayman Islands. As a result of the turbulence, one passenger received serious injuries and four passengers and three flight attendants received minor injuries. None of the other passengers and crew were injured and the airplane was not damaged. The operator reported that while over international waters, the flight experienced moderate to severe turbulence for approximately 6-8 seconds while descending through FL180 into GCM. Both the autopilot and weather radar were on and operating at the time. The flight was in visual meteorological conditions and the crew had no warning of turbulence. The seat belt sign was on and had been on for approximately 10 minutes before the turbulence event occurred. The flight landed safely without further incident. The injured passenger was taken to the hospital and diagnosed with a fractured vertebra.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9010R
- Reported as
- Airbus A319 115 (115)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 5789
- Built
- 2013
- Engines
- CFM Intl CFM56-5B6CFM Intl CFM56-5B6
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- American Airlines
- Registered owner
- American Airlines
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Departed
- Grand Cayman Island (GCM), CBCJ
- Destination
- GCM · Grand Cayman Island
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Equipment
- Electronic primary flight display, Onboard weather, Stall warning system, Data recorder, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction display
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
- 53
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 28, 2016
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 6,056 total · 1,007 in this make and model · 961 as pilot in command
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Age
- 56
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 7, 2016
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 537 total · 65 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 100° at 20 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Turbulence
- Moderate
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 24, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 600 KB in all.
Other investigations on N9010R · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.