# NTSB DCA18CA316: Airbus A319, N328NB, West Palm Beach, FL, July 23, 2018

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report
- Date: July 23, 2018, 15:31 local (19:31 UTC)
- Place: West Palm Beach, FL
- Coordinates: 26.683055, -80.095558
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.6831&lon=-80.0956&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Enroute-holding (IFR): Turbulence encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor, 132 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): 101461
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA18CA316
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/101461/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101461
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA18CA316

## 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: [Airbus Industrie A319-114, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032020/cases.md?model=3930350), [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-holding (IFR): Turbulence encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360) (defining event); cases with it: [Airbus Industrie A319-114, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md?model=3930350), [All aircraft, 423 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md)

## Analysis

On July 23, 2018, about 1531 eastern daylight time, Delta Air Lines flight 1488, an Airbus A319-114, N328NB, encountered turbulence while maneuvering in a holding pattern. Of the 5 crewmembers and 129 passengers onboard; one flight attendant received minor injuries and one passenger received serious injuries. The airplane was not damaged. The regularly scheduled domestic passenger flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 from Minneapolis International Airport (KMSP), Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Miami International Airport (KMIA), Miami, Florida. According to the flight crew, the flight was deviating for weather and was issued holding instructions. The crew noted that the weather was clear when they accepted the hold. During the hold, the airplane encountered moderate turbulence, and a flight attendant and one passenger sustained head injuries. The flight subsequently diverted to Southwest Florida International Airport, Fort Myers, Florida, where it landed uneventfully.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N328NB](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N328NB), registered now, S/N 1520, built 2001 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Airbus A319 (114)
- Registry model: [Airbus Industrie A319-114](https://openairdocs.org/model/airbus-industrie-a319-114) (registry code 3930350) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [CFM International CFM56 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/cfm-international-cfm56-series) (registry code 13802, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 1520
- Year built: 2001
- Engines: CFM International CFM56-5-A5 turbo fan; CFM International CFM56-5-A5 turbo fan
- Damage: No damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Operator: Delta Air Lines
- Registered owner: Delta Air Lines Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Departed: MSP, Minneapolis, MN
- Destination: MIA, Miami, FL
- Flight plan: IFR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 54; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, unknown; last flight review May 6, 2018; seat: left; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 13,806 total, 11,912 in this make and model, 179 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 24 hours
- Co-pilot; age 37; injuries: none; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, unknown; seat: right; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 742 total, 742 in this make and model, 124 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Lowest ceiling: 20,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter: 27.85 inHg

## Other investigations on N328NB (1)

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.

- [NTSB DCA26LA242](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA26LA242), Jun 20, 2026: Airbus Industrie A319-114 (N328NB), Boston, MA, incident, no damage, investigation ongoing

## Docket (5 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 13, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101461. 2.3 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9921272&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=DCA18CA316%20-%206120%20signed_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Pilot's statement - captain (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 62 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12243600&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CAP%20SAGER%20STATEMENT_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Pilot's statement - fo (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 73 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12243279&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FO%20YAUK%20STATEMENT_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Employee statements - fa whetter (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 64 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12243996&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FA%20Elizabeth%20Whetter_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Employee statements - fa burger (item 5, PDF, 1 page, 63 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12244190&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FA%20Karin%20Burger_Redacted-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.

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