# NTSB DCA23LA050: Boeing 737-8, N316SE, Miami, FL, November 10, 2022

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: November 10, 2022
- Place: Miami, FL
- Coordinates: 25.803333, -80.294722
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=25.8033&lon=-80.2947&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, 147 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): 106279
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA23LA050
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/106279/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106279
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA23LA050

## 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 operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Boeing 737-8, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032020/cases.md?model=13844FZ), [All aircraft, 145 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032020/cases.md)
- [Turbulence: convective turbulence](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032020): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Awareness of condition (probable cause); cases with it: [Boeing 737-8, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032020/cases.md?model=13844FZ), [All aircraft, 145 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032020/cases.md)
- [Turbulence: convective turbulence](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032020): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on personnel (probable cause); cases with it: [Boeing 737-8, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032020/cases.md?model=13844FZ), [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: [Boeing 737-8, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md?model=13844FZ), [All aircraft, 423 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md)

## Analysis

American Airlines flight 2548 encountered turbulence while descending through 18,000 ft to land at the Miami International Airport (MIA), Miami, FL, and a flight attendant (FA) fractured her spine. The flight crew reported that during descent, with the seatbelt sign illuminated and after notifying the FAs to prepare for landing, air traffic control (ATC) issued a vector for the approach at MIA with a flight path that intersected a thin cloud layer. After the airplane passed through this cloud layer about 18,000 ft, the pilot’s noticed a towering cumulus cloud directly ahead that had not been displayed on the airplane’s weather radar display. Unable to maneuver around the cloud build up, the airplane passed through the tops of the cumulus clouds, and the flight encountered moderate turbulence for about 3 seconds. The flight crew then received a call from the cabin advising them that a FA had been injured. At the time of the turbulence event, the number 4 FA was in the aft galley and was thrown to the floor. She came to rest with her back against the aft jumpseat. The injured FA was provided oxygen, helped to her jumpseat, and secured with her safety belt. Upon being notified of the injury, the flight crew requested to have paramedics meet the airplane at the gate. The injured FA was transported to the hospital where she was diagnosed with a fractured spine. Eddy dissipation rate (EDR) is a universal measure of turbulence rate. Recorded data from the airplane revealed that about 1900 to 1901 EST the EDR indicated 0.156 to 0.175 which equates to light turbulence. About 5 minutes later the EDR indicated 0.367 which equates to moderate turbulence. At the time of the flight’s arrival into MIA there were no active significant meteorological information (SIGMETs) for the area where the turbulence occurred.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N316SE](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N316SE), registered now, S/N 44472, built 2020 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BOEING 737-8
- Registry model: [Boeing 737-8](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-737-8) (registry code 13844FZ) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [CFM International LEAP-1B25](https://openairdocs.org/engine/cfm-international-leap-1b25) (registry code 13134, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 44472
- Year built: 2020
- Airframe hours: 5475
- Engines: CFM INTL LEAP-1B25 28000 lbs thrust turbo fan; CFM INTL LEAP-1B25 28000 lbs thrust turbo fan
- Damage: No damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Operator: American Airlines Inc
- Registered owner: Wilmington Trust Co Trustee
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, November 9, 2022
- Departed: Saint Croix, CB
- Destination: Same as departure
- Flight plan: IFR
- Equipment: ADS-B, Stall warning system, Onboard weather, Heads up display, Angle of attack indicator, 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 55; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, unknown; last flight review November 25, 2021; seat: left; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 7,516 in this make and model
- Co-pilot; age 27; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, unknown; last flight review June 6, 2022; seat: right; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 1,263 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night
- Temperature: 32 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Observed at: KMIA
- METAR: MIA 102353Z 17005KT 10SM FEW027 SCT250 26/21 A2980 RMK AO2 SLP092 60000 T02610211 10294 20261 53018=

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 20, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106279. 4.5 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 4.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14860659&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=AA2548-10NOV22%20NTSB%206120_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Dispatch weather packet (item 2, PDF, 13 pages, 118 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15363386&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=2548%20Weather%20Packet_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Email correction to pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 248 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14850710&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Email%20Correction_Redacted-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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