# NTSB DCA16CA214: Boeing 737 924, N37408, Waco, TX, August 17, 2016 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: August 17, 2016, 12:15 local (16:15 UTC) - Place: Waco, TX - Coordinates: 31.551389, -97.15583 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.5514&lon=-97.1558&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-descent: Turbulence encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 141 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 8, 2020 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Major Investigations Division - NTSB case key (mKey): 93864 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA16CA214 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/93864/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=93864 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA16CA214 ## Probable cause an encounter with convective turbulence. ## 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 737-924, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032020/cases.md?model=13848A1), [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-descent: Turbulence encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360) (defining event); cases with it: [Boeing 737-924, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md?model=13848A1), [All aircraft, 423 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md) ## Analysis On August 17, 2016, about 1215 central daylight time, United Airlines flight 1945, a Boeing 737-924, N37408, encountered moderate turbulence near Waco, Texas, while on the approach to land at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (KIAH), Houston, Texas. Of the 142 passengers and crew onboard, one flight attendant received a serious injury. The airplane was not damaged. The flight was operating under the provision of 14 CFR Part 121 as a scheduled domestic passenger flight from Seattle-Takoma International Airport (KSEA), Seattle, Washington. The captain was the pilot monitoring, and the first officer the pilot flying. About 40 minutes from landing, the captain called the cabin and asked the flight attendants to prepare the cabin early and be seated because he anticipated light chop/turbulence. As the flight was descending from FL330 feet to FL240 on the GUSHR2 RNAV arrival the airplane and was in and out of cumulus and stratus clouds. The seatbelt sign was illuminated, and the weather radar was on but there were no indications of turbulence depicted in front of the airplane, though the crew could see that the weather was building rather than dissipating with scattered cumulus clouds all around. As the flight entered one small cloud, the airplane encountered a very brief duration of moderate turbulence. The autopilot did not disengage. Shortly after, they received a call from the cabin informing them that one of the flight attendants had been injured. At the time of the turbulence, the flight attendants (FA) were finishing their passenger compliance checks and securing the galleys. One of the aft FAs was in the process of securing the final latches in the galley when she was tossed about the galley, seriously injuring her right ankle. The other FAs assisted with stabilizing her and the flight landed without further incident. Paramedics met the airplane at the gate and the FA was transported to the hospital where she was diagnosed with a broken ankle. ## Factual narrative On August 17, 2016, about 1215 central daylight time, United Airlines flight 1945, a Boeing 737-924, N37408, encountered moderate turbulence near Waco, Texas, while on the approach to land at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (KIAH), Houston, Texas. Of the 142 passengers and crew onboard, one flight attendant received a serious injury. The airplane was not damaged. The flight was operating under the provision of 14 CFR Part 121 as a scheduled domestic passenger flight from Seattle-Takoma International Airport (KSEA), Seattle, Washington. The captain was the pilot monitoring, and the first officer the pilot flying. About 40 minutes from landing, the captain called the cabin and asked the flight attendants to prepare the cabin early and be seated because he anticipated light chop/turbulence. As the flight was descending from FL330 feet to FL240 on the GUSHR2 RNAV arrival the airplane and was in and out of cumulus and stratus clouds. The seatbelt sign was illuminated, and the weather radar was on but there were no indications of turbulence depicted in front of the airplane, though the crew could see that the weather was building rather than dissipating with scattered cumulus clouds all around. As the flight entered one small cloud, the airplane encountered a very brief duration of moderate turbulence. The autopilot did not disengage. Shortly after, they received a call from the cabin informing them that one of the flight attendants had been injured. At the time of the turbulence, the flight attendants (FA) were finishing their passenger compliance checks and securing the galleys. One of the aft FAs was in the process of securing the final latches in the galley when she was tossed about the galley, seriously injuring her right ankle. The other FAs assisted with stabilizing her and the flight landed without further incident. Paramedics met the airplane at the gate and the FA was transported to the hospital where she was diagnosed with a broken ankle. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N37408](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N37408), registered now, S/N 30125, built 2001 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BOEING 737 924 (924) - Registry model: [Boeing 737-924](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-737-924) (registry code 13848A1) (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: 30125 - Year built: 2001 - Engines: CFM INTL. CFM56 SERIES turbo fan; CFM INTL. CFM56 SERIES turbo fan - Damage: No damage - Flight: Part 121 - Operator: United Airlines - Registered owner: Wells Fargo Bank Northwest Na Trustee - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Departed: KSEA, Seattle, WA - Destination: KIAH, Houston, TX - Flight plan: IFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 58; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, waiver time limited special; last flight review June 24, 2016; seat: left; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 25,000 total, 11,297 in this make and model - Co-pilot; age 47; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review December 23, 2015; seat: right; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 16,000 total, 8,500 in this make and model, 218 in the last 90 days, 59 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20160817009019A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160817009019A), Aug 17, 2016: Boeing 737-924, No damage. 45 Minutes prior to landing the PIC directed the cabin crew call to ?clean up and sit down? Due to anticipated turbulence and made a pa announcement for the… ## Docket (17 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 29, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=93864. - Meteorology Group Factual Report (item 1, .PDF, 2.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40484922&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Meteorology%20Group%20Factual%20Report-Master.PDF - Meteorology Group Factual Attachment 1 (item 2, .PDF, 856 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40484933&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Meteorology%20Group%20Factual%20Attachment%201-Master.PDF - Meteorology Group Factual Attachment 2 (item 3, .PDF, 276 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40484935&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Meteorology%20Group%20Factual%20Attachment%202-Master.PDF - Meteorology Group Factual Attachment 3 (item 4, .PDF, 4.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40484934&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Meteorology%20Group%20Factual%20Attachment%203-Master.PDF - Meteorology Group Factual Attachment 4 (item 5, .PDF, 1.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40484936&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Meteorology%20Group%20Factual%20Attachment%204-Master.PDF - Meteorology Group Factual Attachment 5 (item 6, .PDF, 3.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40484937&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Meteorology%20Group%20Factual%20Attachment%205-Master.PDF - Meteorology Group Factual Attachment 6 (item 7, .PDF): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40484938&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Meteorology%20Group%20Factual%20Attachment%206-Master.PDF - Meteorology Group Factual Attachment 7 (item 8, .PDF, 952 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40484939&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Meteorology%20Group%20Factual%20Attachment%207-Master.PDF - Meteorology Group Factual Attachment 8 (item 9, .PDF, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40484940&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Meteorology%20Group%20Factual%20Attachment%208-Master.PDF - Meteorology Group Factual Attachment 9 (item 10, .PDF, 924 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40484941&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Meteorology%20Group%20Factual%20Attachment%209-Master.PDF - Meteorology Group Factual Shelf Item (item 11, .PDF, 148 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40484942&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Meteorology%20Group%20Factual%20Shelf%20Item-Master.PDF - Quick Access Recorder Factual Report (item 12, .PDF, 1.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40484943&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Quick%20Access%20Recorder%20Factual%20Report-Master.PDF - Quick Access Recorder Factual Report - Attachment 1 (item 13, .CSV, 8.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40484944&FileExtension=.csv&FileName=Quick%20Access%20Recorder%20Factual%20Report%20-%20Attachment%201-Master.csv - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 14, .PDF, 2.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40484945&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Employee Statements-FA Washington and FA Buress (item 15, .PDF, 93 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40484946&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Employee%20Statements-FA%20Washington%20and%20FA%20Buress-Master.PDF - Employee Statements-FABrewster (item 16, .PDF, 2.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40484947&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Employee%20Statements-FABrewster-Master.PDF - Employee Statements - FA Hohman (item 17, .PDF, 2.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40484948&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Employee%20Statements%20-%20FA%20Hohman-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.