# NTSB DCA19CA038: Boeing 737, N868NN, Chicago, IL, December 3, 2018

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report
- Date: December 3, 2018, 10:35 local (16:35 UTC)
- Place: Chicago, IL
- Coordinates: 41, -87.906387 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.0000&lon=-87.9064&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Taxi-to runway: Cabin safety event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/110)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious, 146 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): 98739
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA19CA038
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/98739/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=98739
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA19CA038

## Probable cause

an object which fell from an overhead bin struck a flight attendant resulting in a serious injury.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041000): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Cabin crew (probable cause); cases with it: [Boeing 737-823, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041000/cases.md?model=13844CB), [All aircraft, 111 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041000/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Taxi-to runway: Cabin safety event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/110) (defining event); cases with it: [Boeing 737-823, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/110/sequence.md?model=13844CB), [All aircraft, 151 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/110/sequence.md)

## Analysis

On December 3, 2018, about 10:35 central standard time, American Airlines flight 114, a Boeing 737-800, N868NN, was taxiing from the gate at Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD), Chicago, Illinois, when a flight attendant was injured when an object fell onto from an overhead bin. The remaining passengers and crew were not injured, and the airplane was not damaged. The regularly scheduled domestic passenger flight was operating under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 from ORD, to LaGuardia Airport (LGA), East Elmhurst, New York. According to the operator, while taxiing for takeoff, a flight attendant opened an overhead bin, and a laptop fell out, striking her in the eye and forcing her left eye out of the socket. The flight returned to the gate and the flight attendant was transported to a hospital.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N868NN](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N868NN), registered now, S/N 40763, built 2011 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Boeing 737 (823)
- Registry model: [Boeing 737-823](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-737-823) (registry code 13844CB) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [CFM International CFM56-7B24/3 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/cfm-international-cfm56-7b24-3-series) (registry code 13074, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 40763
- Year built: 2011
- Engines: CFM 56-7B-7B3 turbo fan; CFM 56-7B-7B3 turbo fan
- Damage: No damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Operator: American Airlines
- Registered owner: Wilmington Trust Co Trustee
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Departed: KORF, Chicago, IL
- Destination: KLGA, East Elmhurst, NY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: KORF, Chicago O'Hare Int'l

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 63; injuries: none; airline transport, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review April 28, 2018; seat: left; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 11,710 total, 1,039 in this make and model, 14,801 as pilot in command
- Co-pilot; age 62; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; seat: right; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 22,000 total, 8,345 in this make and model, 8,026 as pilot in command

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day

## 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=98739. 4.1 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=10066332&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=DCA19CA038%20-%20NTSB%206120%20-%20AA%20%23114-03DEC18.pdf
- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 updated (item 2, PDF, 11 pages, 2.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=10073824&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=new%20DCA19CA038-NTSB%206120%20-%20AA%20%23114-03DEC18_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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