# NTSB DCA18CA251: Mcdonnell Douglas MD88, N918DE, Charlotte, NC, July 23, 2018 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report - Date: July 23, 2018, 15:38 local (19:38 UTC) - Place: Charlotte, NC - Coordinates: 35.214443, -80.947219 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.2144&lon=-80.9472&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, 1 minor, 144 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Major Investigations Division - NTSB case key (mKey): 97877 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA18CA251 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/97877/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=97877 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA18CA251 ## 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: [Mcdonnell Douglas MD-88, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032020/cases.md?model=3023688), [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: [Mcdonnell Douglas MD-88, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md?model=3023688), [All aircraft, 423 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md) ## Analysis On July 23, 2018, about 1538 eastern daylight time, Delta Air Lines flight 2133, a McDonnell Douglas MD-88, N918DE, encountered turbulence during descent into Charlotte Douglas International Airport (KCLT), Charlotte, North Carolina. Of the 146 passengers and crew onboard, one flight attendant received serious injuries and one received minor injuries. The airplane was not damaged. The regularly scheduled domestic passenger flight was operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 from Atlanta-Hartsfield International Airport (KATL), Atlanta, Georgia, to KCLT. The captain was the pilot monitoring and first officer was the pilot flying. According to the flight crew, there were thunderstorms along the entire route that required them to deviate around multiple cells. The seat belt sign was on the entire flight and the weather radar was on. As the flight approached KCLT, the captain called the lead flight attendant (FA) and requested that the FAs complete their final walkthrough and be seated for the remainder of the flight, since he expected it to be bumpy during the arrival. As they were deviating around convective weather, the flight entered a cloud and encountered severe turbulence with heavy rain. The autopilot disconnected and the airplane dropped abruptly to the left. The first officer maintained positive manual control throughout the event and the crew estimated the turbulence lasted about 10 seconds. The captain immediately contacted the cabin and was informed that two FAs were injured. After receiving the captain’s call to prepare for landing early, the three FAs immediately began their final walkthroughs. Two FAs were in the aisle when the turbulence occurred. Both FAs were thrown into the air and then onto the floor. One FA had injured her back and was helped into a passenger seat for the remainder of the flight. The other FA injured her knees but was able to continue her duties for the remainder of the flight. The captain declared a medical emergency and requested that emergency personnel meet the airplane at the gate. Upon arrival, both FAs were transported to the hospital where one was diagnosed with a fractured vertebrae. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N918DE](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N918DE-2022-04-25), registration cancelled 2022-04-25, S/N 49959, built 1993 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Mcdonnell Douglas MD88 (88) - Registry model: [Mcdonnell Douglas MD-88](https://openairdocs.org/model/mcdonnell-douglas-md-88) (registry code 3023688) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney JT8D series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-jt8d-series) (registry code 52053, turbo-jet) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 49959 - Year built: 1993 - Airframe hours: 76668 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney JT8D-219 turbo fan; Pratt & Whitney JT8D-219 turbo fan - Damage: No damage - Flight: Part 121 - Operator: Delta Air Lines - Registered owner: Delta Air Lines Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, July 7, 2018 - Departed: KATL, Atlanta, GA - Destination: KCLT, Charlotte, NC - Flight plan: IFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 42; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, unknown; last flight review January 9, 2018; seat: left; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 2,701 total, 2,701 in this make and model, 181 in the last 90 days, 7 in the last 24 hours - Co-pilot; age 43; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, unknown; last flight review March 16, 2018; seat: right; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 230 total, 230 in this make and model, 165 in the last 90 days, 7 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 9 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 3,000 ft broken - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 72 °F - Altimeter: 29.85 inHg - Observed at: CLT ## Docket (6 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 13, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=97877. 2.3 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9319882&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%206120%20DCA18CA251_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot's statement- captain (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 52 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9320216&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=II18-112%20DAL2133%20CAP%20ERTMER-Rel.pdf - Pilot's statement - copilot (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 42 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9320453&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=II18-112%20DAL2133%20FO%20HANEMANN-Rel.pdf - Employee statements - fa smith (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 45 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9320435&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Daphyanee%20Smith%202133-Rel.pdf - Employee statements - fa simpson (item 5, PDF, 1 page, 46 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9319891&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Karen%20Simpson%202133-Rel.pdf - Employee statements - fa cousar (item 6, PDF, 1 page, 49 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12157177&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Robert%20Cousar%202133-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.