# NTSB DCA21LA109: Embraer EMB-145LR, N650AE, Charlotte, NC, March 28, 2021 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: March 28, 2021, 18:00 local (22:00 UTC) - Place: Charlotte, NC - Coordinates: 35.218578, -80.948542 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.2186&lon=-80.9485&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach: Turbulence encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 3 minor - 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): 102835 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA21LA109 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/102835/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102835 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA21LA109 ## Probable cause an encounter with convective turbulence during descent. ## 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: [Embraer EMB-145LR, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032020/cases.md?model=3260212), [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. - [Approach: Turbulence encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360) (defining event); cases with it: [Embraer EMB-145LR, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md?model=3260212), [All aircraft, 423 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md) ## Analysis On March 28, 2021, about 1729 eastern standard time, Piedmont Airlines flight 6142, an Embraer 145 aircraft, N650AE, encountered turbulence during approach into Charlotte Douglas International Airport (KCLT), Charlotte, North Carolina. Of the 50 passengers and crew onboard, one passenger sustained serious injuries and the first officer, flight attendant, and one passenger sustained minor injuries. The airplane was not damaged. The regularly scheduled domestic passenger flight was operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 from Tri-cities Airport (KTRI), Blountville, TN. The flight crew stated they expected turbulence on arrival into KCLT, because they had flown in from KCLT on the flight prior to the accident flight. As a result, prior to pushback of the accident flight, the captain made a public address announcement that the fasten seatbelt sign would remain on and the passengers and flight attendants (FA) should remain seated for the entirety of the flight. As the flight was being vectored around severe convective activity on arrival into KCLT and approaching 12,000 feet, they encountered severe turbulence with downdrafts. The autopilot disconnected and the airplane descended below its assigned level off altitude. The first officer, who was the pilot flying, took manual control of the airplane and began climbing back to 12,000 feet. After exiting the turbulent conditions, the captain called the FA and was informed that one passenger had been injured. According to the FA, a passenger got up while the seatbelt sign was on and was in the lavatory when the turbulence was encountered. The passenger complained of back pain as she returned back to her seat after the event. Two medically qualified passengers assisted the injured passenger inflight. After landing, paramedics transported the injured passenger to the hospital where she was diagnosed with a fractured vertebrae. At the time of the flight’s arrival into KCLT, a SIGMET was active for imbedded thunderstorms and turbulence. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N650AE](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N650AE), registered now, S/N 145417, built 2001 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: EMBRAER EMB-145LR - Registry model: [Embraer EMB-145LR](https://openairdocs.org/model/embraer-emb-145lr) (registry code 3260212) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Allison AE-3007A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-ae-3007a) (registry code 03030, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 145417 - Year built: 2001 - Engines: ALLISON AE 3007A 7580 lbs thrust turbo fan; ALLISON AE 3007A 7580 lbs thrust turbo fan - Damage: No damage - Flight: Part 121 - Operator: Piedmont Airlines, doing business as American Eagle - Registered owner: American Airlines - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Departed: KTRI, Blountville, TN - Destination: Charlotte, NC ## Weather - Conditions: Day - Turbulence: Severe ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 6, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102835. 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=13079619&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_1%20Flight%206142%20TRI-CLT_redacted_Redacted1-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.