- Date
- June 10, 2018, 20:43 UTC
- Place
- Decatur, TX
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 7 minor, 261 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N750ANBoeing 777 223
- Defining event
- Approach: Turbulence encounter
- Weather
- Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 8, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Major Investigations Division
- Case key
- 97434
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
the passengers failure to comply with the fasten seatbelt sign when the airplane encountered convective turbulence.
Findings · 2
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 June 10, 2018, at about 2043 UTC, American Airlines flight 60, N750AN, B777-200, turbulence during descent to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (KDFW) Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas. Of the 269 passengers and crew onboard, one passenger received serious injuries and seven flight attendants received minor injuries. There was no damage to the airplane. The flight was operating under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 as a scheduled international passenger flight from Narita International Airport (RJAA) Narita, Japan, to KDFW. As the flight began its descent into KDFW, the captain illuminated the seatbelt sign and made a public address announcement reminding passengers that the seatbelt sign was on and that they were to "return to your seats and buckle up for the remainder of the flight." Shortly after the captain notified the flight attendants (FA) to "prepare for landing and take your seats", the airplane entered a band of small cumulus clouds and experienced 10-15 seconds of moderate turbulence. When the turbulence was encountered, the FAs were conducting their final cabin safety checks since the captain had informed them that there might be turbulence during descent. As a result, seven FAs were thrown to the floor and one passenger, who had ignored the seatbelt sign and instructions to remain seated, was also thrown to the floor and injured his left ankle. The FAs notified the flight crew, who arranged for paramedics to meet the airplane at the gate. After landing, the passenger was transported to the hospital where he was diagnosed with a broken ankle and the seven FA's who had received various minor injuries were treated at the airplane and released.
Factual narrative
On June 10, 2018, at about 2043 UTC, American Airlines flight 60, N750AN, B777-200, turbulence during descent to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (KDFW) Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas. Of the 269 passengers and crew onboard, one passenger received serious injuries and seven flight attendants received minor injuries. There was no damage to the airplane. The flight was operating under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 as a scheduled international passenger flight from Narita International Airport (RJAA) Narita, Japan, to KDFW. As the flight began its descent into KDFW, the captain illuminated the seatbelt sign and made a public address announcement reminding passengers that the seatbelt sign was on and that they were to "return to your seats and buckle up for the remainder of the flight." Shortly after the captain notified the flight attendants (FA) to "prepare for landing and take your seats", the airplane entered a band of small cumulus clouds and experienced 10-15 seconds of moderate turbulence. When the turbulence was encountered, the FAs were conducting their final cabin safety checks since the captain had informed them that there might be turbulence during descent. As a result, seven FAs were thrown to the floor and one passenger, who had ignored the seatbelt sign and instructions to remain seated, was also thrown to the floor and injured his left ankle. The FAs notified the flight crew, who arranged for paramedics to meet the airplane at the gate. After landing, the passenger was transported to the hospital where he was diagnosed with a broken ankle and the seven FA's who had received various minor injuries were treated at the airplane and released.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N750AN
- Reported as
- Boeing 777 223 (223)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 30259
- Built
- 2001
- Airframe hours
- 69,852
- Engines
- Rolls-Royce Trent 892, 90,000 lbs thrust, turbo fanRolls-Royce Trent 892, 90,000 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- American Airlines Inc
- Registered owner
- American Airlines Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · June 10, 2018
- Departed
- RJAA · Narita
- Destination
- KDFW · Dallas/Ft. Wort, TX
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Equipment
- Angle of attack indicator, Auto-pilot, Data recorder, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Onboard weather, Stall warning system, ADS-B
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 · 7
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 59
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight engineer, Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 20, 2017
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 10,644 total · 483 in this make and model · 8,432 as pilot in command · 150 in the last 90 days · 69 in the last 30 days · 11 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 62
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial, Flight engineer
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 24, 2017
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 10,433 total · 4,521 in this make and model · 815 as pilot in command · 149 in the last 90 days · 49 in the last 30 days · 11 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 50
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1
- Seat
- Center
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 3,854 total
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 50
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Unknown
- Seat
- Center
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 12,467 total
- Role
- Cabin crew
- Injuries
- Minor
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Role
- Cabin crew
- Injuries
- Minor
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Role
- Cabin crew
- Injuries
- Minor
Weather
- Conditions
- Day
- Turbulence
- Moderate
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 9, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 599 KB in all.