- Date
- November 2, 2022, 21:40 local (Nov 3, 2022, 02:40 UTC)
- Place
- New Orleans, LA · (Destination airport)
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 115 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N519NKAirbus A319
- Defining event
- Enroute-descent: Abrupt maneuver
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Major Investigations Division
- Case key
- 106309
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The captain’s pitch up input to avoid an overspeed condition, which resulted in a flight attendant falling and fracturing her ankle. Contributing was the airplane’s excessive airspeed during the transition to the automation-managed descent profile.
Findings · 6
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
According to the flight crew, the airplane was descending to land with the autopilot configured to intercept a managed flight path profile. The airplane was descending in "Vertical Speed” mode at 500 feet per minute, with the airspeed set for 300 knots. As the airplane approached the profile, the crew selected “Managed Descent” mode and the airplane nosed over rapidly to intercept the descending flight path. The first officer checked the altimeter setting and then noticed that the airspeed indicator was approaching the maximum allowable airspeed; he then deployed the speed brakes to about 50%. Simultaneously, the captain took control of the airplane, disengaged the autopilot, and pitched up to avoid an overspeed condition. The crew then reset the automation and commenced a deliberate slow down. Shortly thereafter, the cabin crew called and advised that one of the flight attendants was injured during the maneuver. A flight attendant who was securing carts in the aft galley was hoisted into the air and landed on her left foot, fracturing her ankle. The remainder of the flight continued without incident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N519NK
- Reported as
- Airbus A319 (132)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2723
- Built
- 2006
- Engines
- IAE V2524-A5, 24,480 lbs thrust, turbo fanIAE V2524-A5, 24,480 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- Spirit Airlines Inc
- Registered owner
- Spirit Airlines Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Departed
- ATL · Atlanta, GA
- Destination
- MSY · New Orleans, LA
- Flight plan
- IFR
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 43
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 9, 2022
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 10,410 total · 1,476 in this make and model · 4,719 as pilot in command · 113 in the last 90 days · 74 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None