# NTSB DCA19CA037: Airbus A320, N632NK, LAS Vegas, NV, December 1, 2018 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report - Date: December 1, 2018, 02:07 UTC - Place: LAS Vegas, NV - Coordinates: 36.083889, -115.15361 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.0839&lon=-115.1536&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, 162 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): 98738 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA19CA037 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/98738/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=98738 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA19CA037 ## 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: [Airbus A320-232, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032020/cases.md?model=3940004), [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: [Airbus A320-232, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md?model=3940004), [All aircraft, 423 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md) ## Analysis On December 1, 2018, about 1804 Pacific standard time, Spirit Airlines flight 1069, an Airbus A320-232, N632NK, encountered turbulence during initial descent into Las Vegas McCarran International Airport (KLAS), Las Vegas, Nevada. Of the 163 passengers and crew onboard, one flight attendant was seriously injured. 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 Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (KCLE) to KLAS. The captain was the pilot flying, and the first officer was the pilot monitoring. According to the flight crew, there was reports of moderate turbulence during the initial descent. During the decent, the flight passed through stratiform cloud layers experiencing continuous light and occasional moderate chop, but no precipitation was depicted on the weather radar. At about flight level (FL) 260, the first officer turned on the seatbelt sign and contacted the lead flight attendant (FA) to have all the FAs take their seats. As the airplane descended through about FL230, the flight experienced moderate turbulence which lasted for about 15-20 seconds. Shortly thereafter, the flight crew received a call from the lead FA that a FA had broken her ankle. At the time of the turbulence encounter, the FAs were preparing the cabin for landing. Two FAs were in the aft galley and were thrown into the air and onto the floor. One FA severely injured her left ankle and was subsequently helped into an aft passenger seat, where she remained for landing. After landing, emergency medical personnel met the flight at the gate and transported the injured FA to the hospital where she was diagnosed with a fractured left fibula. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N632NK](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N632NK-2026-01-02), registration cancelled 2026-01-02, S/N 6331, built 2014 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Airbus A320 (232) - Registry model: [Airbus A320-232](https://openairdocs.org/model/airbus-a320-232) (registry code 3940004) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [IAE V2527-A5](https://openairdocs.org/engine/iae-v2527-a5) (registry code 34604, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 6331 - Year built: 2014 - Engines: Iae V2527-A5 9895 horsepower turbo fan; Iae V2527-A5 9895 horsepower turbo fan - Damage: No damage - Flight: Part 121 - Operator: Spirit Airlines - Registered owner: Spirit Airlines Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Departed: CLE, Cleveland, OH - Destination: LAS Vegas, NV - Flight plan: IFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 48; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review May 27, 2018; seat: left; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 9,000 total, 6,579 in this make and model - Co-pilot; age 43; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review March 5, 2018; seat: right; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 5,980 total, 820 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Night ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20181201023829A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20181201023829A), Dec 1, 2018: Airbus A320-232, Las Vegas, NV, No damage. Prior to descent into las, we were hearing radio chatter about the rough rides on the arrival. I asked the first officer to give the initial address to the… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 25, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=98738. 2.1 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=10094677&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=DCA19CA037-6120_1%20NKS%201069_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Crew statements (item 2, PDF, 4 pages, 56 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=10094444&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Crew%20Statements-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.