- Date
- November 15, 2024, 09:45 local (09:45 UTC)
- Place
- Tokyo, Japan
- Injuries
- 2 serious, 291 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N833AABoeing 787-9
- Defining event
- Enroute-cruise: Turbulence encounter
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Not reported
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Major Investigations Division
- Parties
- FAA
- Case key
- 195532
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
An encounter with turbulence while in cruise flight, resulting in serious injuries to two flight attendants.
Findings · 1
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
American Airlines flight 168, encountered unanticipated moderate to severe turbulence during cruise at 34,000 feet (FL340) while enroute to John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), New York, New York from Tokyo Haneda International Airport (HND), Tokyo, Japan. As a result, two flight attendants (FAs) sustained serious injuries. Before departing, the flight crew stated they all reviewed the weather forecast on their weather briefing app before departure and noted no significant turbulence or convective activity. The flight departed HND in Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) and climbed on the assigned standard instrument departure procedure and leveled off at FL340 in VMC above an overcast layer. The flight crew stated the flight was smooth during the climb out, with occasional “very light” turbulence. During cruise, the captain and the first officer recalled monitoring the weather radar and did not detect any convective activity in the area. Approximately 30-40 minutes after departure, the overcast area rose into the airplane’s altitude. At that time, the FAs were moving around the galley and cabin for service. The captain made an announcement for the FAs to be seated, but the airplane encountered moderate to severe turbulence. After the turbulence subsided, the captain was informed that two FAs had been injured and were unable to continue their duties. Neither requested immediate medical attention. The flight continued uneventfully to JFK, where the injured FAs were met by company personnel and later sought medical evaluation. One FA was diagnosed with a fractured tibia, and another with a fractured ankle. Two additional FAs later reported minor injuries. No passengers were injured.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N833AA
- Reported as
- Boeing 787-9
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 40645
- Built
- 2017
- Airframe hours
- 27,771
- Engines
- GE GENX-1B74/75/, 76,700 lbs thrust, turbo fanGE GENX-1B74/75/, 76,700 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 · November 13, 2024
- Departed
- HND · Tokyo, OF
- Destination
- JFK · New York, NY
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Equipment
- Data recorder, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Stall warning system, Angle of attack indicator, ADS-B, Auto-pilot
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 · 4
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 64
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Flight engineer, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 30, 2024
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 21,000 total · 2,400 in this make and model
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Age
- 53
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 16, 2024
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 13,500 total · 2,600 in this make and model
- Role
- Other flight crew
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial
- Seat
- Rear
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 17,000 total
- Role
- Other flight crew
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial, Flight instructor
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 18,000 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Not reported
- Icing
- Unknown
- Turbulence
- Moderate