- Date
- December 6, 2017, 03:07 UTC
- Place
- Fort Lauderdale, FL
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor, 100 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N670NKAirbus A321 231
- Defining event
- Enroute-descent: Turbulence encounter
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report June 18, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Major Investigations Division
- Case key
- 96520
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 convective turbulence that resulted in a flight attendant injury.
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 December 6, 2017, about 2207 eastern standard time, Spirit Airlines flight NKS265, an Airbus 321-231, N670NK, encountered turbulence during approach to land at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (KFLL), Fort Lauderdale, Florida. One flight attendant received a serious injury and the airplane was not damaged. The regularly scheduled domestic passenger flight was operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 from Atlantic City International Airport (KACY), Atlantic City, New Jersey, to KFLL. According to the flight crew, the flight encounter the severe turbulence while descending through about 12,000 shortly after entering instrument meteorological conditions. There had been no reports of turbulence in the area and the seat belt sign was activated. At the time of the turbulence encounter, the flight attendants (FA) were conducting their final cabin checks when all five FAs were thrown to the floor. One FA sustained an ankle injury and remained on the floor for the remainder of the flight. After landing, all five FAs were transported to the hospital where the FA was diagnosed with a medial and posterior malleolar facture.
Factual narrative
On December 6, 2017, about 2207 eastern standard time, Spirit Airlines flight NKS265, an Airbus 321-231, N670NK, encountered turbulence during approach to land at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (KFLL), Fort Lauderdale, Florida. One flight attendant received a serious injury and the airplane was not damaged. The regularly scheduled domestic passenger flight was operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 from Atlantic City International Airport (KACY), Atlantic City, New Jersey, to KFLL. According to the flight crew, the flight encounter the severe turbulence while descending through about 12,000 shortly after entering instrument meteorological conditions. There had been no reports of turbulence in the area and the seat belt sign was activated. At the time of the turbulence encounter, the flight attendants (FA) were conducting their final cabin checks when all five FAs were thrown to the floor. One FA sustained an ankle injury and remained on the floor for the remainder of the flight. After landing, all five FAs were transported to the hospital where the FA was diagnosed with a medial and posterior malleolar facture.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N670NK
- Reported as
- Airbus A321 231 (231)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7106
- Built
- 2016
- Engines
- IAE V2533-A5, 11,990 horsepower, turbo fanIAE V2533-A5, 11,990 horsepower, turbo fan
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- Spirit Airlines Inc
- Registered owner
- Spirit Airlines Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Departed
- ACY · Atlantic City, NJ
- Destination
- Fort Lauderdale, FL
- Flight plan
- IFR
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
- 45
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 6, 2017
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 14,300 total · 3,700 in this make and model · 7,300 as pilot in command · 80 in the last 90 days · 38 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Age
- 28
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 28, 2017
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 5-point
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night
- Icing
- Unknown
- Turbulence
- Unknown
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 20, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.2 MB in all.
Other investigations on N670NK · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.