# NTSB DCA21LA209: Airbus 319-132, N806AW, Chicago, IL, August 21, 2021

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: August 21, 2021, 14:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place: Chicago, IL
- Coordinates: 41.972201, -87.920566 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.9722&lon=-87.9206&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, 119 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): 103756
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA21LA209
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/103756/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103756
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA21LA209

## Probable cause

An encounter with clear air turbulence.

## 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 · Awareness of condition (probable cause); cases with it: [Airbus Industrie A319-132, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032015/cases.md?model=3930340), [All aircraft, 78 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032015/cases.md)
- [Turbulence: clear air turbulence](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032015): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on personnel; cases with it: [Airbus Industrie A319-132, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032015/cases.md?model=3930340), [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-descent: Turbulence encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360) (defining event); cases with it: [Airbus Industrie A319-132, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md?model=3930340), [All aircraft, 423 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md)

## Analysis

American Airlines flight 2760 encountered turbulence while descending through 7,000 ft to land at Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), Chicago, Illinois, and a flight attendant fractured her kneecap. The captain was the pilot flying and the first officer was monitoring. The flight was in day visual meteorological conditions (VMC), and the weather radar was on, with no signs of convective activity ahead. The captain made the announcement to the cabin crew to prepare for landing and the seatbelt sign was illuminated. The flight crew stated that ATC informed them that between HIHRY and RINNO intersections there were reports of moderate turbulence. The captain called the No. 1 flight attendant to inform her that in five minutes there was the possibility of turbulence, “likely moderate chop”, and for her to inform the rest of the cabin crew. At 7000 ft the flight encountered about 2 to 3 brief moments of moderate turbulence, but the remainder of the flight was smooth. While taxiing to the gate the flight crew was informed that the No. 1 flight attendant, who had been walking through the aisle to prepare for landing, had fallen to her knees because of the turbulence. The flight attendant was taken to the hospital where she was diagnosed with a fractured kneecap.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N806AW](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N806AW), registered now, S/N 1056, built 1999 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AIRBUS 319-132
- Registry model: [Airbus Industrie A319-132](https://openairdocs.org/model/airbus-industrie-a319-132) (registry code 3930340) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [IAE V2500SERIES](https://openairdocs.org/engine/iae-v2500series) (registry code 34601, turbo-jet) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 1056
- Damage: No damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Operator: American Airlines
- Registered owner: American Airlines
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Departed: SAT, San Antonio, TX
- Destination: ORD, Chicago, IL
- Flight plan: IFR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 61; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review July 14, 2021; seat: left; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 28,100 total, 7,865 in this make and model, 3,100 as pilot in command, 39 in the last 90 days, 46 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours
- Co-pilot; age 42; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review May 2, 2021; seat: right; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 12,143 total, 3,784 in this make and model, 197 in the last 90 days, 80 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Lowest ceiling: 11,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 87 °F, dew point 69 °F
- Altimeter: 29.84 inHg

## 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=103756. 2.2 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12912803&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=DCA21LA209%20NTSB_6120-Fractured-Patella%20-%2009SEP21%20rev1%20mod_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Employee statements - flight crew (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 31 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12911913&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=DCA21LA209%20Flight-Crew-Statements_AA2760_21AUG2021_Turbulence-Injury-Rel.pdf
- Employee statements - cabin crew (item 3, PDF, 3 pages, 124 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12912901&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=DCA21LA209%20Cabin-Crew-Statements_AA2760_21AUG2021_Turbulence-Injury-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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