# NTSB DCA18CA201: Boeing 777 223, N750AN, Decatur, TX, June 10, 2018 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: June 10, 2018, 20:43 UTC - Place: Decatur, TX - Coordinates: 33.341388, -97.547775 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.3414&lon=-97.5478&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach: Turbulence encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 7 minor, 261 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 8, 2020 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Major Investigations Division - NTSB case key (mKey): 97434 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA18CA201 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/97434/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=97434 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA18CA201 ## Probable cause the passengers failure to comply with the fasten seatbelt sign when the airplane encountered convective turbulence. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action: unnecessary action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041045): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Passenger (probable cause); cases with it: [Boeing 777-223, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041045/cases.md?model=1385213), [All aircraft, 52 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041045/cases.md) - [Turbulence: clear air turbulence](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032015): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on personnel (probable cause); cases with it: [Boeing 777-223, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032015/cases.md?model=1385213), [All aircraft, 78 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032015/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach: Turbulence encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360) (defining event); cases with it: [Boeing 777-223, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md?model=1385213), [All aircraft, 423 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md) ## 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](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N750AN), registered now, S/N 30259, built 2001 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BOEING 777 223 (223) - Registry model: [Boeing 777-223](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-777-223) (registry code 1385213) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rolls-Royce RB-211 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rolls-royce-rb-211-series) (registry code 54555, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 30259 - Year built: 2001 - Airframe hours: 69852 - Engines: ROLLS-ROYCE Trent 892 90000 lbs thrust turbo fan; ROLLS-ROYCE Trent 892 90000 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 ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 59; injuries: none; 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 - Pilot; age 62; injuries: none; 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 - Pilot; age 50; injuries: none; 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 - Pilot; age 50; injuries: none; 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 - Cabin crew; injuries: minor; restraint: 4-point - Cabin crew; injuries: minor; restraint: 4-point - Cabin crew; injuries: minor ## Weather - Conditions: Day - Turbulence: Moderate ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 9, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=97434. 599 KB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 and crew statements (item 1, PDF, 13 pages, 599 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=6683759&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%206120%20-%20AA%20%2360-10JUN18-Rel.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.