# NTSB DCA19CA206: Airbus A320, N328FR, Denver, CO, August 27, 2019

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: August 27, 2019, 06:50 local (12:50 UTC)
- Place: Denver, CO
- Coordinates: 39.861667, -104.673057 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.8617&lon=-104.6731&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
- Status: Completed, report April 22, 2020
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Major Investigations Division
- NTSB case key (mKey): 100174
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA19CA206
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/100174/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100174
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA19CA206

## Probable cause

an encounter with mountain wave turbulence.

## Findings

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

- [Turbulence: terrain induced turbulence](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032010): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on personnel (probable cause); cases with it: [Airbus A320-251N, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032010/cases.md?model=3940325), [All aircraft, 70 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032010/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 A320-251N, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md?model=3940325), [All aircraft, 423 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md)

## Analysis

On August 27, 2019, at 0650 am mountain daylight time, Frontier Airlines as flight 461, an Airbus A320, N328FR, encountered turbulence while on descent to the Denver International Airport (KDEN), Denver, Colorado. As a result of the turbulence, one flight attendant was seriously injured. There were no other injuries to the remainder of the passengers and crew onboard and the airplane was not damaged. The flight was operating under 14 CFR Part 121 as a regularly scheduled passenger flight from the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport (KMSP), Minneapolis, Minnesota to KDEN. Visual flight conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. According to the flight crew, as the flight was approaching 15,000 feet, the captain, who was the pilot monitoring, identified a single cumulus cloud in front of them with the tops at about 15,000 feet, and informed the first officer (FO) of possible turbulence. The FO reduced airspeed to 250 knots in anticipation of the turbulence and the captain advised the flight attendants to take their seats. The airplane then entered moderate turbulence for about 10 seconds. According to the flight attendants (FA), very shortly after being notified by the captain, the turbulence was encountered. The aft flight attendant was returning to her jumpseat when the turbulence occurred and she was thrown to the floor. After the encounter, she was helped back to her jumpseat by another FA and they informed the flight crew. The flight was met at the gate by medical personnel and the FA was transported to the hospital and diagnosed with a broken left ankle. An NTSB Weather Study indicated likely mountain wave conditions between 11,000 and 14,000 feet with cloud formation near the accident site and points eastward, and cloud tops near 15,000 ft.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N328FR](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N328FR), registered now, S/N 8118, built 2018 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Airbus A320 (251N)
- Registry model: [Airbus A320-251N](https://openairdocs.org/model/airbus-a320-251n) (registry code 3940325) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [CFM International LEAP-1A26](https://openairdocs.org/engine/cfm-international-leap-1a26) (registry code 13110, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 8118
- Year built: 2018
- Engines: turbo fan; turbo fan
- Damage: No damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Operator: Frontier Airlines Inc
- Registered owner: Wells Fargo Trust Co Na Trustee
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Departed: MSP, Minneapolis, MN
- Destination: DEN, Denver, CO
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: KDEN, Denver international Airport, runway 16L, 12,000 × 150 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 57; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review August 13, 2019; seat: left; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 9,639 total, 110 in the last 90 days, 27 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours
- Co-pilot; age 48; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review August 8, 2018; seat: right; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 6,835 total, 201.5 in the last 90 days, 98.5 in the last 30 days, 5.2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Visibility: 10 statute miles

## 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 20190827014769A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190827014769A), Aug 27, 2019: Airbus A320-251N, Denver, CO, No damage. On 8/27/2019 at approximately 1315 MDT frontier flight 461, msp to den, encountered turbulence on descent at 15, 000 feet. The aft flight attendant was…

## Docket (10 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 28, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100174. 56.1 MB in all.

- weather study report (item 1, .PDF, 972 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40483197&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=weather%20study%20report-Master.PDF
- weather attachment 1 (item 2, .GIF, 25.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40483198&FileExtension=.gif&FileName=weather%20attachment%201-Master.gif
- weather attachment 2 (item 3, .GIF, 24.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40483199&FileExtension=.gif&FileName=weather%20attachment%202-Master.gif
- weather attachment 3 (item 4, .PDF, 959 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40483200&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=weather%20attachment%203-Master.PDF
- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 5, .PDF, 2.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40483202&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF
- Operational Factors Specialist Report (item 6, .PDF, 1.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40483203&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Operational%20Factors%20Specialist%20Report-Master.PDF
- Operational Factors Attachment 1 - Crew Statements (item 7, .PDF, 79 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40483204&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Operational%20Factors%20Attachment%201%20-%20Crew%20Statements-Master.PDF
- Operational Factors Attachment 2 - Flgiht Dispatch Release and Weather Briefing (item 8, .PDF, 265 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40483205&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Operational%20Factors%20Attachment%202%20-%20Flgiht%20Dispatch%20Release%20and%20Weather%20Briefing-Master.PDF
- Operational Factors Attachment 3 - Flight Operations Manuals [Excerpts] (item 9, .PDF, 450 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40483206&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Operational%20Factors%20Attachment%203%20-%20Flight%20Operations%20Manuals%20%5BExcerpts%5D-Master.PDF
- Operational Factors Attachment 4 - Dispatch Operations Manual [Excerpts] (item 10, .PDF, 486 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40483207&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Operational%20Factors%20Attachment%204%20-%20Dispatch%20Operations%20Manual%20%5BExcerpts%5D-Master.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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