# NTSB DCA19CA189: Boeing 767, N663UA, San Juan, PR, July 22, 2019

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report
- Date: July 22, 2019, 03:17 local (07:17 UTC)
- Place: San Juan, PR
- Coordinates: 18.470327, -66.100067 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=18.4703&lon=-66.1001&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, 1 minor, 216 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Major Investigations Division
- Lead agency: Other
- NTSB case key (mKey): 99997
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA19CA189
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/99997/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA19CA189

## Probable cause

An encounter with convective turbulence during cruise flight.

## 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: [Boeing 767-322, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032020/cases.md?model=1385200), [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 767-322, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md?model=1385200), [All aircraft, 423 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md)

## Analysis

On July 22, 2019, about 0317 eastern daylight time, United Airlines flight 860, a Boeing B767-322, N663UA, encountered turbulence during cruise flight about 200 nm north of San Juan, Puerto Rico. Of the 218 passengers and crew onboard, one flight attendant was seriously injured, and one flight attendant sustained minor injuries. The airplane was not damaged. The regularly scheduled international passenger flight was operating under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 from São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport (SBGR), Sao Paulo, Brazil, to Washington Dulles International Airport (KIAD), Dulles, Virginia. According to the flight crew, they were in level cruise flight at flight level 360 when they started experiencing some chop. The captain turned on the seatbelt sign and instructed passengers to be seated over the public address system. Shortly after, the airplane experienced 3-5 seconds of moderate turbulence as they penetrated a cloud. The crew reported that the weather radar was operational and not showing any indications of precipitation along the route of flight. When the turbulence occurred, a flight attendant (FA) in the aft galley was reaching for the handset to repeat the seatbelt instructions in Portuguese when she was thrown sideways, then to the ceiling, and then back to the floor. The injured FA was helped to a jumpseat and attended to by a passenger physician for the remainder of the flight. Paramedics met the airplane at the gate in KIAD and the injured FA was transported to the hospital where she was diagnosed with multiple contusions and a fractured vertebra.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N663UA](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N663UA), registered now, S/N 27160, built 1993 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Boeing 767 (322)
- Registry model: [Boeing 767-322](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-767-322) (registry code 1385200) (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: 27160
- Year built: 1993
- Engines: Pratt & Whitney PW4000 SER 24900 horsepower turbo fan; Pratt & Whitney PW4000 SER 24900 horsepower turbo fan
- Damage: No damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Operator: United Air Lines Inc
- Registered owner: United Airlines Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Departed: SBGR, Sao Paulo, OF
- Destination: KIAD, Washington, DC
- 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; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review January 29, 2018; seat: left; flight hours: 15,147 total, 2,881 in this make and model, 2,887 as pilot in command, 136 in the last 90 days, 46 in the last 30 days
- Co-pilot; age 40; injuries: none; airline transport; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review January 21, 2018; seat: right; flight hours: 1,451 total, 1,231 in this make and model, 175 in the last 90 days, 95 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Not reported
- Turbulence: Moderate

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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