# NTSB DCA25LA023: Boeing 767-322, N651UA, Kingston, Jamaica, November 3, 2024 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: November 3, 2024, 08:00 local (08:00 UTC) - Place: Kingston, Jamaica - Coordinates: 17.578056, -75.464167 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=17.5781&lon=-75.4642&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, 185 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Major Investigations Division - Parties: FAA AVP-110 - NTSB case key (mKey): 195439 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA25LA023 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/195439/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=195439 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA25LA023 ## Probable cause An inadvertent encounter with convective turbulence while in enroute cruise flight. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Turbulence](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032000): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Awareness of condition; cases with it: [Boeing 767-322, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032000/cases.md?model=1385200), [All aircraft, 92 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032000/cases.md) - [Turbulence](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032000): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on personnel; cases with it: [Boeing 767-322, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032000/cases.md?model=1385200), [All aircraft, 92 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032000/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: [Boeing 767-322, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md?model=1385200), [All aircraft, 423 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md) ## Analysis United Airlines flight 128 encountered moderate turbulence while at FL360 and about 60 miles southeast of Jamaica, and a flight attendant (FA) sustained a serious injury. The flight crew reported that while at FL360, in visual meteorological dark night conditions with no indication of an adverse ride from their onboard weather applications or their weather radar, the flight encountered about 3-5 seconds of moderate turbulence. The fasten seatbelt sign had been illuminated about 15 minutes earlier due to an area of light turbulence and remained illuminated during the event. The captain stated that upon encountering the moderate turbulence he immediately made a public address announcement “flight attendants be seated immediately, be seated immediately”. Following the turbulence encounter the flight crew asked the flight attendants to check in and were advised that a FA had been injured. The FA assigned to jumpseat 2R reported that they had been seated with their seatbelt fastened for about 10-15 minutes due to a previous announcement from the fight deck about an area of light turbulence. With no turbulence encountered for several minutes the FA elected to stand and began preparations for the water service. When suddenly and without warning, the airplane “violently shook” throwing them into the right galley wall. Their lower back impacted a quarter turn utilized to secure the service carts. Upon being notified of the injury, the flight crew contacted MedLink and the decision was made to continue to George Bush International Airport (IAH), Houston, Texas. Paramedics met the airplane at the gate and transported the injured FA to the hospital where they were diagnosed with a serious injury. At the time of the turbulence encounter there were no active significant meteorological information (SIGMETs), convective SIGMETs, airman’s meteorological information (AIRMETs), or pilot reports (PIREPs) of any significant turbulence. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N651UA](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N651UA), registered now, S/N 25389, built 1992 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BOEING 767-322 - Registry model: [Boeing 767-322](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-767-322) (registry code 1385200) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney PW4000 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-pw4000-series) (registry code 52119, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 25389 - Year built: 1992 - Airframe hours: 128781 - Engines: P&W PW4000 SER 60000 lbs thrust turbo fan; P&W PW4000 SER 60000 lbs thrust turbo fan - Damage: No damage - Flight: Part 121 - Operator: United Airlines Inc - Registered owner: United Airlines Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, November 10, 2024 - Departed: Rio de Janeiro, OF - Destination: Houston, TX - Flight plan: IFR - Equipment: Electronic primary flight display, Onboard weather, Satellite tracking device, Stall warning system, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Data recorder, Auto-pilot, Angle of attack indicator, ADS-B ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Visibility: 6 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 3,400 ft broken - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 75 °F - Observed at: MKJP, 79 nm away - METAR: MKJP 030800Z VRB02KT 9999 SCT020 FEW022CB BKN034 27/24 Q1006 RETS ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20241103017139A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20241103017139A), Nov 3, 2024: Boeing 767-322, No damage. While cruising at altitude with the seatbelt sign illuminated, the aircraft encountered 2-3 seconds of moderate turbulence. The captain made the appropriate… ## Other investigations on N651UA (2) 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. - [NTSB ENG22WA025](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ENG22WA025), May 10, 2022: Boeing 767-322 (N651UA), Lima, Peru, Peru, incident, minor damage - [NTSB ATL97WA079](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL97WA079), Jun 4, 1997: Boeing 767-300 (N651UA), Asuncion, Paraguay, no damage ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 27, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=195439. 4.0 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 3.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18196221&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20DMS_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Flight crew statements (item 2, PDF, 4 pages, 101 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18202367&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Flight%20crew%20statments-Rel.pdf - Flight attendant statements (item 3, PDF, 3 pages, 124 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18216744&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Flight%20Attendant%20Statements%20-%20Revised_DCA25LA023_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. --- 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.