# NTSB DCA19CA034: Boeing 767, N193DN, SUNNS intersection, Osaka, Japan, December 4, 2018 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report - Date: December 4, 2018, 18:00 local (18:00 UTC) - Place: SUNNS intersection, Osaka, Japan - Coordinates: 34.804721, 141.738327 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.8047&lon=141.7383&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Turbulence encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 2 minor, 92 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): 98733 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA19CA034 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/98733/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=98733 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA19CA034 ## Probable cause The airplane’s encounter with severe 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 operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Boeing 767-332, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032020/cases.md?model=1385101), [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-cruise: Turbulence encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360) (defining event); cases with it: [Boeing 767-332, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md?model=1385101), [All aircraft, 423 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md) ## Analysis On December 4, 2018, about 2130 Japan standard time, Delta Air Lines flight 278, N193DN, a Boeing 767-300ER, encountered severe turbulence during cruise. Of the 95 passengers and crew onboard, one flight attendant received serious injuries and two flight attendants received minor injuries. The airplane was not damaged. The regularly scheduled international passenger flight was operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 from Kansai International Airport (RJBB), Osaka, Japan, to Honolulu International Airport (PHNL), Honolulu, Hawaii. The first officer was the pilot flying, and the captain was pilot monitoring. According to the captain, the flight had experienced continuous light turbulence during the climb. Upon reaching FL350, in the moonless night, and in smooth air, the captain said that he deactivated the seat belt sign, and released the flight attendants to begin cabin service, while also giving a precautionary notice on the interphone to remain seated with the seatbelts fastened as much as possible. He added that the weather radar was set with the Gain on AUTO, and it was depicting green radar returns on its display. He said that they were approaching SUNNS intersection and noted that the radar showed a light green return. He said he discussed it with the first officer, and they both agreed to request a turn and a climb to avoid the depicted weather. After clearance was given to make the turn, the captain said that he turned the seatbelt sign ON, and made an announcement for everyone, including the flight attendants, to be seated. As the flight made the course deviation to avoid the weather, the captain indicated that the radar gave more definition in its depiction, and the lightning illumination emanating from the cloud showed that the cloud extended about 1,000 feet above their flight level, so they continued the turn to remain outside the green weather return depiction. He said that the radar depiction suddenly showed a faint dot of red at its center, and at that time the ride went immediately from smooth to severe turbulence, without any intervening intermediate intensities being noted. He said the airplane climbed about a few hundred feet and a momentary engine indicating and crew alerting system (EICAS) overspeed message occurred. He further stated that the turbulence came in two waves, and it lasted less than 30 seconds. The airplane then recovered back to FL350, and light chop continued. During the turbulence encounter, the flight attendants were in the middle of meal service. As a result, two flight attendants sustained minor injuries and one flight attendant fractured an ankle. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N193DN](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N193DN), registered now, S/N 28450, built 1997 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Boeing 767 (332) - Registry model: [Boeing 767-332](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-767-332) (registry code 1385101) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney PW4000 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-pw4000-series) (registry code 52119, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28450 - Year built: 1997 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney PW4060 24900 horsepower turbo fan; Pratt & Whitney PW4060 24900 horsepower turbo fan - Damage: No damage - Flight: Part 121 - Operator: Delta Air Lines - Registered owner: Delta Air Lines Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Departed: RJBB, Osaka, OF - Destination: KHNO, Honolulu, HI - Flight plan: IFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 59; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, unknown; last flight review February 15, 2018; seat: left; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 19,433 total, 4,621 in this make and model, 15,172 as pilot in command, 155 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours - Co-pilot; age 58; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, unknown; last flight review November 28, 2018; seat: right; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 12,814 total, 9,654 in this make and model, 167 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Night - Turbulence: Severe ## Docket (10 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 25, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=98733. 2.5 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=13031513&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=DCA19CA034%20-%206120%20-%20Completedc_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Employee statements - first officer (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 59 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13031097&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=II18-175%20DAL278%20FO2%20KASAMOTO_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Employee statements - captain (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 36 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13031573&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=II18-175%20DAL278%20CAP%20HAIN_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Employee statements - relief pilot (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 52 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13031503&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=II18-175%20DAL278%20FO1%20BOWLER_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Employee statements - flight attendant 1 (item 5, PDF, 1 page, 43 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13031307&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=278%20Miki%20Nagadome_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Employee statements - flight attendant 2 (item 6, PDF, 1 page, 45 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13031583&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=278%20Mayu%20Akanaga_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Employee statements - flight attendant 3 (item 7, PDF, 2 pages, 55 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13031593&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=278%20L.%20Yuen_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Employee statements - flight attendant 4 (item 8, PDF, 1 page, 46 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13031726&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=278%20Johnny%20Lee_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Employee statements - flight attendant 5 (item 9, PDF, 1 page, 50 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13031333&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=278%20James%20Lee_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Employee statements - flight attendant 6 (item 10, PDF, 2 pages, 50 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13031603&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=278%20Donna%20Davis_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. --- 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.