- Date
- June 11, 2018
- Place
- Harbin, China
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor, 290 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N826ANBoeing 787-9
- Defining event
- Enroute: Cabin safety event
- Weather
- Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 8, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Major Investigations Division
- Case key
- 97504
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 accidental tipping over of a beverage service cart, when there was no turbulence, which caused pots of hot water to burn two flight attendants.
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 June 10, 2018, at about 1215 local time, American Airlines 181, N826AN, B787-9, was enroute to Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) Beijing, China, when two flight attendants were burned as a result of a beverage cart tray being overturned with three pots of hot liquids on it. At the time of the event, the airplane was in smooth air with no turbulence. Of the 292 passengers and crew onboard, one flight attendant received minor injuries and one flight attendant received serious injuries. The flight was operating under 14 Code of Federal Regulation Part 121 as a regularly scheduled passenger flight from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Los Angeles, California to PEK. The crew reported that the two injured flight attendants were in the aft galley setting up the beverage cart when the cart overturned. The injured flight attendants were treated by a passenger physician. Paramedics met the airplane at the gate and one flight attendant was transported to the hospital where she was diagnosed with 2nd degree burns and released.
Factual narrative
On June 10, 2018, at about 1215 local time, American Airlines 181, N826AN, B787-9, was enroute to Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) Beijing, China, when two flight attendants were burned as a result of a beverage cart tray being overturned with three pots of hot liquids on it. At the time of the event, the airplane was in smooth air with no turbulence. Of the 292 passengers and crew onboard, one flight attendant received minor injuries and one flight attendant received serious injuries. The flight was operating under 14 Code of Federal Regulation Part 121 as a regularly scheduled passenger flight from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Los Angeles, California to PEK. The crew reported that the two injured flight attendants were in the aft galley setting up the beverage cart when the cart overturned. The injured flight attendants were treated by a passenger physician. Paramedics met the airplane at the gate and one flight attendant was transported to the hospital where she was diagnosed with 2nd degree burns and released.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N826AN
- Reported as
- Boeing 787-9 (9)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 40649
- Built
- 2017
- Airframe hours
- 4,519
- Engines
- General Electric GENX1B-75P2, turbo fanGeneral Electric GENX1B-75P2, turbo fan
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- American Airlines Inc
- Registered owner
- American Airlines Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- June 10, 2018
- Departed
- KLAX · Los Angeles, CA
- Destination
- ZBAA · Beijing
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Equipment
- Angle of attack indicator, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Heads up display, Onboard weather, Satellite tracking device, 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 61
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight engineer, Airline transport, Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 18, 2018
- Flight hours
- 7,129 total · 708 in this make and model · 2,415 as pilot in command · 161.1 in the last 90 days · 52 in the last 30 days · 12.5 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Age
- 57
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight engineer, Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 17, 2018
- Flight hours
- 717 total · 39 in this make and model · 71.3 in the last 90 days · 71.3 in the last 30 days · 12.5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Day
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 4, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 623 KB in all.