- Date
- September 23, 2018, 21:45 local (Sep 24, 2018, 01:45 UTC)
- Place
- Newark, NJ
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 176 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Prior to flight
- Aircraft
- N13113Boeing 757
- Defining event
- Prior to flight: Cabin safety event
- Weather
- Not reported
- Status
- Completed · report July 8, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Major Investigations Division
- Case key
- 98424
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 catering cart striking the flight attendant's foot.
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 September 23, 2018, at about 2145 EDT, United flight 138, Boeing B757-224, N13113, was in the process of boarding at Newark International Airport (EWR), Newark, New Jersey when a flight attendant was struck by a catering cart. Of the 177 passengers and crew who were scheduled to be onboard, one flight attendant was seriously injured. The flight was scheduled as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 international passenger flight from EWR to Reykjavik-Keflavak International Airport (KEF), Keflavak, Iceland. During the initial boarding process, the resupplying of the catering was still ongoing. As the caterer personnel was quickly pushing a catering cart throught the aisle the flight attendant's foot was struck by the cart as it passed by. The flight attendant was injured, but thought his foot was only bruised, so he remained onboard to work the flight. During the flight, the flight attendant's foot became more painful, which required him to elevate his foot for short periods of time. After arrival at KEF, the injured flight attendant went to a local hospital and was diagnosed with a fractured heel.
Factual narrative
On September 23, 2018, at about 2145 EDT, United flight 138, Boeing B757-224, N13113, was in the process of boarding at Newark International Airport (EWR), Newark, New Jersey when a flight attendant was struck by a catering cart. Of the 177 passengers and crew who were scheduled to be onboard, one flight attendant was seriously injured. The flight was scheduled as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 international passenger flight from EWR to Reykjavik-Keflavak International Airport (KEF), Keflavak, Iceland. During the initial boarding process, the resupplying of the catering was still ongoing. As the caterer personnel was quickly pushing a catering cart throught the aisle the flight attendant's foot was struck by the cart as it passed by. The flight attendant was injured, but thought his foot was only bruised, so he remained onboard to work the flight. During the flight, the flight attendant's foot became more painful, which required him to elevate his foot for short periods of time. After arrival at KEF, the injured flight attendant went to a local hospital and was diagnosed with a fractured heel.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N13113
- Reported as
- Boeing 757 (224)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 27555
- Built
- 1995
- Engines
- Rolls-Royce RB.211, turbo fanRolls-Royce RB.211, turbo fan
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- United Airlines
- Registered owner
- United Airlines Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Departed
- EWR · Newark, NJ
- Destination
- BIKF · Reykjavik
- Airport
- EWR · Newark Liberty Intl
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
- 50
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 9, 2018
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 11,140 total · 9,838 in this make and model · 931 as pilot in command · 174 in the last 90 days · 33 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Age
- 49
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 20, 2018
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 1,103 total · 1,103 in this make and model · 202 in the last 90 days · 57 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Not reported
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 9, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 639 KB in all.