- Date
- March 6, 2017, 10:10 local (18:10 UTC)
- Place
- Los Angeles, CA
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 120 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N369NBAirbus A319 114
- Defining event
- Taxi-to runway: Cabin safety event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 8, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Major Investigations Division
- Case key
- 94940
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
malfunction of the parking brake electrical control valve that resulted in a sudden stop.
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 March 6, 2017, about 1010 Pacific standard time, Delta Air Lines flight 429, an Airbus A319-114, N369NB, experienced an abrupt stop after being stopped with the parking break set, while taxiing for takeoff at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Los Angeles, California. Of the 117 passengers and crew onboard, one flight attendant was seriously injured. The airplane was not damaged. The regularly scheduled passenger flight was operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 from LAX to New Orleans International Airport (MSY), New Orleans, Louisiana. The captain stated that pushback, initial engine start, and taxi were normal. When the airplane was number 5 in line taxiing for takeoff, he started the second engine. He then stopped the airplane in line, set the parking brake, and began the "delayed after-start check", when he noticed that the airplane was rolling. He then looked down and verified that the parking brake was set, which it was, and as he was applying the brakes they locked, and the airplane came to a "jarring stop". At the time of the sudden stop, the lead flight attendant (FA) was performing safety checks in the first-class galley and was thrown into the galley. After being informed of the FAs injury, the captain returned the flight to the gate where they were met by paramedics. The FA was transported to the hospital where she was diagnosed with a broken rib. Maintenance personnel examined the airplane after the accident and found the circuit breaker for the parking brake electrical control valve popped.
Factual narrative
On March 6, 2017, about 1010 Pacific standard time, Delta Air Lines flight 429, an Airbus A319-114, N369NB, experienced an abrupt stop after being stopped with the parking break set, while taxiing for takeoff at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Los Angeles, California. Of the 117 passengers and crew onboard, one flight attendant was seriously injured. The airplane was not damaged. The regularly scheduled passenger flight was operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 from LAX to New Orleans International Airport (MSY), New Orleans, Louisiana. The captain stated that pushback, initial engine start, and taxi were normal. When the airplane was number 5 in line taxiing for takeoff, he started the second engine. He then stopped the airplane in line, set the parking brake, and began the "delayed after-start check", when he noticed that the airplane was rolling. He then looked down and verified that the parking brake was set, which it was, and as he was applying the brakes they locked, and the airplane came to a "jarring stop". At the time of the sudden stop, the lead flight attendant (FA) was performing safety checks in the first-class galley and was thrown into the galley. After being informed of the FAs injury, the captain returned the flight to the gate where they were met by paramedics. The FA was transported to the hospital where she was diagnosed with a broken rib. Maintenance personnel examined the airplane after the accident and found the circuit breaker for the parking brake electrical control valve popped.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N369NB
- Reported as
- Airbus A319 114 (114)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2047
- Built
- 2003
- Airframe hours
- 36,462
- Engines
- CFM Intl. CFM56 SERIES, turbo fanCFM Intl. CFM56 SERIES, turbo fan
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- Delta Air Lines
- Registered owner
- Delta Air Lines Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · January 21, 2017
- Departed
- LAX · Los Angeles, CA
- Destination
- MSY · New Orleans, LA
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- LAX · Los Angeles International
- Equipment
- ADS-B, Angle of attack indicator
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
- 57
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Unknown
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 16,086 total · 580 in this make and model · 154 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Age
- 50
- Injuries
- None
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Unknown
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 644 total · 349 in this make and model · 181 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 100° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.20 inHg
- Observed at
- LAX
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 30, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 934 KB in all.