# NTSB DCA19CA075: Boeing 737, N852NN, Bluefields, Nicaragua, February 5, 2019 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report - Date: February 5, 2019, 07:47 local (13:47 UTC) - Place: Bluefields, Nicaragua - Coordinates: 12.010277, -83.770278 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=12.0103&lon=-83.7703&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Turbulence encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor, 117 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): 98948 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA19CA075 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/98948/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=98948 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA19CA075 ## Probable cause An inadvertent encounter with clear air turbulence. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Turbulence: clear air turbulence](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032015): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on personnel (probable cause); cases with it: [Boeing 737-823, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032015/cases.md?model=13844CB), [All aircraft, 78 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032015/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Turbulence encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360) (defining event); cases with it: [Boeing 737-823, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md?model=13844CB), [All aircraft, 423 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md) ## Analysis On February 5, 2019, about 0733 central standard time, American Airlines flight 1204, N852NN, a Boeing 737-823, encountered severe turbulence during climb. Of the 119 passengers and crew onboard, one flight attendant received a serious injury and another flight attendant received minor injuries. The airplane was not damaged. The regularly scheduled international passenger flight was operating under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 from Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) San Jose, Costa Rica, to Miami International Airport (MIA), Miami, Florida. The captain was the pilot flying and the copilot was pilot monitoring. The flight was climbing through FL310 to the planned cruising altitude when the flight encountered moderate to severe clear air turbulence. According to the flight crew, the seatbelt sign was on when the turbulence occurred. The turbulence subsided after about one and a half minutes and occurred during daylight, in visual meteorological conditions, and with no indications of convective weather in the area. At the time of the turbulence, two flight attendants (FA) had just started to prepare for beverage service in the aft galley when they were thrown to the floor. Both FAs crawled to the last row of seats as the turbulence continued. The two FAs were then assisted for the remainder of the flight by to passenger medical professionals. After landing, the FAs were transported to the hospital where one was diagnosed with a broken foot and the other with minor bruises. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N852NN](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N852NN), registered now, S/N 40581, built 2010 (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: 40581 - Year built: 2010 - Engines: CFM 56-7B turbo fan; CFM 56-7B turbo fan - Damage: No damage - Flight: Part 121 - Operator: American Airlines - Registered owner: Wilmington Trust Co Trustee - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Departed: SJO, Alajuela, OF - Destination: MIA, Miami, FL - Flight plan: IFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 52; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review April 8, 2018; seat: left; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 13,005 total, 10,915 in this make and model - Co-pilot; age 56; injuries: none; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review October 15, 2018; seat: right; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 3,312 total, 3,312 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dawn - Visibility: 10 statute miles ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 25, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=98948. 3.6 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=13289241&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=DCA19CA075%20-%20AA%20%231204%2005FEB19%203GG%206120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Employee statements - captain (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 506 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13289215&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Statement%20from%20Captain%20Robert%20Olson,%20AA1204,%205%20Feb%202019-Rel.pdf - Employee statements - first officer (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 506 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13288322&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Statement%20from%20First%20Officer%20Reyes%20concerning%20AA1204,%205%20February%202019-Rel.pdf - Employee statements fa no. 2 (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 567 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13289251&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FA%202-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.