# NTSB DCA21LA176: Airbus A321-231, N156AN, Miami, FL, July 5, 2021

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: July 4, 2021, 20:41 local (Jul 5, 2021, 00:41 UTC)
- Place: Miami, FL
- Coordinates: 25.7966, -80.2759 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=25.7966&lon=-80.2759&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, 180 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Major Investigations Division
- Parties: American Airlines
- NTSB case key (mKey): 103420
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA21LA176
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/103420/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103420
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA21LA176

## Probable cause

an inadvertent encounter with convective turbulence.

## 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; cases with it: [Airbus A321-231, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032020/cases.md?model=3940032), [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-descent: 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

On July 4th, 2021, at 10:41 pm eastern daylight time, American Airlines flight 2206, an Airbus A321, N156AN, encountered turbulence during descent to Miami International Airport (KMIA), Miami, Florida. Of the 181 passengers and crew onboard, one flight attendant was seriously injured. The airplane was not damaged. The regularly scheduled passenger flight was operating under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 from the Dallas-Fort Worth International airport (KDFW), Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, to KMIA. According to the flight crew, they observed convective activity that they would descend through during the approach and informed the lead flight attendant to prepare the cabin early and to take their seats. The weather radar was on, and the seatbelt sign was illuminated. Shortly after this, as they descended through between 12,000-10,000 feet, the airplane passed through the tops of a small cumulus buildup and the flight experienced moderate turbulence. When the turbulence was encountered, the #3 flight attendant (FA), located in the aft galley, was thrown into the air and was seriously injured after striking the floor hard. The FAs informed the flight crew of the injury and the captain requested paramedics meet the flight at the gate. After landing, the flight attendant was transported to the hospital where she was diagnosed with a fractured compressed vertebra.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N156AN](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N156AN), registered now, S/N 6983, built 2016 (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: 6983
- Year built: 2016
- Airframe hours: 15695
- Engines: IAE V2533-A5 31600 lbs thrust turbo fan; IAE V2533-A5 31600 lbs thrust turbo fan
- Damage: No damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Operator: American Airlines Inc
- Registered owner: American Airlines Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, July 2, 2021
- Departed: KDFW, Dallas-Fort Worth, TX
- Destination: KMIA, Miami, FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Equipment: Angle of attack indicator, ADS-B, Stall warning system, Onboard weather, Auto-pilot, Data recorder, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 60; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 2,530 total, 2,530 in this make and model
- Co-pilot; age 46; injuries: none; commercial, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review January 26, 2021; seat: right; flight hours: 4,511 total, 352 in this make and model
- Cabin crew; injuries: none; seat: front
- Cabin crew; injuries: none; seat: rear; restraint: none
- Cabin crew; injuries: serious; seat: rear; restraint: none
- Cabin crew; injuries: none; seat: front; restraint: none

## Weather

- Conditions: Not reported
- Wind: 130° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 90 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observed at: KMIA, 1 nm away
- METAR: KMIA 041553Z 13009KT 10SM FEW025 SCT210 BKN250 32/23 A3001 RMK AO2 SLP161 T03220233 $

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 6, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103420. 2.4 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=12529722&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%206120_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Flight crew statements (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 102 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12529296&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=AA_2206_04JUL21_Flight-Crew-Statements-Rel.pdf
- Cabin crew statements (item 3, PDF, 4 pages, 192 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12642517&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Cabin%20Crew%20Statements-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.

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