# NTSB DCA17LA173: Airbus 330, N276AY, East Hampton, NY, August 5, 2017

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: August 5, 2017, 14:35 local (18:35 UTC)
- Place: East Hampton, NY
- Coordinates: 41.018611, -71.691665 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.0186&lon=-71.6917&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, 10 minor, 6 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report April 22, 2020
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Major Investigations Division
- NTSB case key (mKey): 95804
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA17LA173
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/95804/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=95804
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA17LA173

## Probable cause

an inadvertent 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: [Airbus Industrie A330-323, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032020/cases.md?model=3930335), [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: [Airbus Industrie A330-323, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md?model=3930335), [All aircraft, 423 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md)

## Analysis

On August 5, 2017, at 1435 eastern daylight time, an Airbus 330, N276AY, operated by American Airlines as flight 759 encountered turbulence at 28,000 feet about 25 miles east of East Hampton, NY. One flight attendant suffered a broken arm and there were 10 minor injuries among the passengers and flight attendants. The airplane was not damaged. The flight was a regularly scheduled passenger flight from Athens, Greece, to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (PHL). According to the operator, the flight passed very close to a small, but rapidly developing convective cell with tops near FL300. A steady increase in lightning reports was noted immediately after encountering the cell. The cell was most likely dominated by updrafts at the time of the encounter and dissipated 30 minutes after the report. Other isolated to scattered areas of convection were developing along a cold front over Eastern Long Island at the time. ATC radar depicted an area of moderate to extreme precipitation returns along the airplane's route of flight. ATC did not advise the flight crew of the returns until after the crew reported the turbulence encounter. The flight crew reported that the seat belt sign was on at the time of the turbulence.

## Factual narrative

On August 5, 2017, at 1435 eastern daylight time, an Airbus 330, N276AY, operated by American Airlines as flight 759 encountered turbulence at 28,000 feet about 25 miles east of East Hampton, NY. One flight attendant suffered a broken arm and there were 10 minor injuries among the passengers and flight attendants. The airplane was not damaged. The flight was a regularly scheduled passenger flight from Athens, Greece, to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (PHL). According to the operator, the flight passed very close to a small, but rapidly developing convective cell with tops near FL300. A steady increase in lightning reports was noted immediately after encountering the cell. The cell was most likely dominated by updrafts at the time of the encounter and dissipated 30 minutes after the report. Other isolated to scattered areas of convection were developing along a cold front over Eastern Long Island at the time. ATC radar depicted an area of moderate to extreme precipitation returns along the airplane's route of flight. ATC did not advise the flight crew of the returns until after the crew reported the turbulence encounter. The flight crew reported that the seat belt sign was on at the time of the turbulence.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N276AY](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N276AY-2023-06-19), registration cancelled 2023-06-19, S/N 0375, built 2001 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AIRBUS 330
- Registry model: [Airbus Industrie A330-323](https://openairdocs.org/model/airbus-industrie-a330-323) (registry code 3930335) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney PW4000 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-pw4000-series) (registry code 52119, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 375
- Year built: 2001
- Engines: turbo fan; turbo fan
- Damage: No damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Operator: American Airlines, Inc
- Registered owner: American Airlines, Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Departed: ATH, Athens
- Destination: PHL, Philadelphia, PA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Equipment: Data recorder, Electronic flight bag or handheld device

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 59; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review March 13, 2017; seat: left; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 9,511 total
- Co-pilot; age 58; injuries: none; airline transport; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review December 21, 2016; seat: right; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 10,289 total

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day
- Icing: Unknown
- Turbulence: Moderate

## Other investigations on N276AY (1)

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.

- [NTSB DCA16WA191](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA16WA191), Jun 26, 2016: Airbus Industrie A330 323 (N276AY), London, United Kingdom, incident, no damage

## Docket (1 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 22, 2017, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=95804. 2.0 MB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 2.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40459051&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-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.

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