# NTSB DCA21LA164: Airbus A321-231, N926UW, New Orleans, LA, June 25, 2021 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: June 25, 2021, 20:31, time zone not recorded - Place: New Orleans, LA - Location: 29.9546° N, 90.0751° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of New Orleans, LA, within about 7 miles (OpenAirDocs) - NTSB coordinates: 27.598704, -89.948252, outside the stated state - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.9546&lon=-90.0751&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, 8 minor, 185 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): 103350 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA21LA164 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/103350/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103350 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA21LA164 ## Probable cause An inadvertent encounter with severe turbulence during cruise flight that caused a flight attendant to fall and fracture his ankle. ## 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: [Airbus A321-231, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032015/cases.md?model=3940032), [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. - [Enroute-cruise: Turbulence encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360) (defining event); cases with it: [Airbus A321-231, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md?model=3940032), [All aircraft, 423 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md) ## Analysis American Airlines flight 2401 encountered severe turbulence while in cruise flight at FL310 and a flight attendant fractured his ankle. The captain was the pilot flying (PF) and the first officer was monitoring. Ride conditions were smooth with no reports of turbulence in the area and the crewmembers had the weather radar turned off. The flight was in day visual meteorological conditions (VMC) with the visibility greater than 20 miles. About 20 miles NW of the REDFN waypoint, near airway Q105, the flight experienced a single “jolt” of severe turbulence, which caused the autopilot to disconnect, and the airplane to roll about 30 degrees to the right and climb about 300 feet. The PF took control and returned the airplane to its assigned altitude and reengaged the autopilot. When the turbulence occurred beverage service had recently concluded, and two flight attendants were in the aisle collecting trash. One flight attendant was in the aft galley securing service items and was thrown to the ceiling and fell, fracturing his left ankle. Ten passengers who were not seated or who were not using their seatbelts sustained minor injuries. The fasten seatbelt indication to passengers was turned off. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N926UW](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N926UW), registered now, S/N 6618, built 2015 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AIRBUS A321-231 - Registry model: [Airbus A321-231](https://openairdocs.org/model/airbus-a321-231) (registry code 3940032) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [IAE V2533-A5](https://openairdocs.org/engine/iae-v2533-a5) (registry code 34611, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 6618 - Year built: 2015 - Damage: No damage - Flight: Part 121 - Operator: American Airlines - Registered owner: American Airlines Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Departed: DFW, Dallas, TX - Destination: TPA, Tampa, FL - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: MSY ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 60; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review November 17, 2020; seat: left; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 9,814 total, 623 in this make and model, 1,267 as pilot in command, 168 in the last 90 days, 55 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours - Co-pilot; age 41; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review March 22, 2021; seat: right; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 2,117 total, 443 in this make and model, 154 in the last 90 days, 63 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Lowest ceiling: 12,000 ft broken - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 77 °F - Altimeter: 30.04 inHg - Observed at: KHUM, 5 nm away ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 20, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103350. 2.3 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=13260921&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB-6120_AA2401_25June2021_N926UW_DFW-TPA-MSY%20DCA21LA164_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Employee statements - flight crew (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 79 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13260744&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Flight-Crew-Statements_AA2401_25June2021-Rel.pdf - Employee statements - cabin crew (item 3, PDF, 4 pages, 117 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13261225&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Cabin-Crew-Statements_AA2401_25June2021-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.