# NTSB DCA25LA091: Boeing 767-322, N647UA, Gulf of America (Gulf of Mexico), December 29, 2024 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: December 29, 2024 - Place: Gulf of America (Gulf of Mexico) - Coordinates: 20.947128, -91.073273 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=20.9471&lon=-91.0733&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, 210 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 14, 2025 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Major Investigations Division - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 199575 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA25LA091 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/199575/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=199575 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA25LA091 ## Probable cause An encounter with an area of clear air turbulence during cruise, which resulted in a serious injury to a flight attendant. ## 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 · Effect on personnel (probable cause); cases with it: [Boeing 767-322, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032015/cases.md?model=1385200), [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 · Awareness of condition; cases with it: [Boeing 767-322, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032015/cases.md?model=1385200), [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-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 854, operating between George Bush Intercontinental / Houston Airport (IAH), Houston, Texas, and Jorge Chávez International Airport (LIM), Lima, Peru, encountered moderate turbulence while in cruise. One flight attendant sustained a serious injury during the turbulence encounter. The captain served as the flying pilot and the first officer as the pilot monitoring for the entire flight. Prior to the flight, the crew reviewed the dispatch release and weather forecasts, which indicated areas of light to moderate turbulence along the route, and no other significant turbulence risks were identified along their route. After a standard pushback, taxi, and takeoff, the aircraft climbed to cruise altitude. About one hour after reaching cruise altitude, the crew anticipated encountering turbulence ahead based on the SkyPath and Weather Services International (WSI) electronic depictions of turbulence potential along their route. The captain contacted the purser approximately ten minutes before the expected turbulence and advised that the “flight attendants, please take your jump seats” announcement would be made in five minutes. This was followed by a public announcement (PA) to passengers and crew regarding the expected turbulence and the need for flight attendants to be seated soon. Five minutes later, the captain made the “flight attendants, please take your jump seats” PA to the cabin. Shortly thereafter, the aircraft encountered light turbulence that quickly escalated to moderate. The turbulence lasted approximately 25–30 minutes, with intermittent light turbulence continuing for an additional 15–20 minutes. The three cabin crew members working in the rear of the aircraft reported that, following the “flight attendants, please take your jump seats” announcement, they attempted to move their service carts to the aft galley and secure their equipment. However, turbulence began before they could fully stow the carts, leaving them only able to park the carts in the galley without securing them back into their slots. While one flight attendant stated that while they were attempting to prevent a cart from tipping over, the airplane experienced a “big shake”. The flight attendant was thrown to the floor, striking her back against the edge of a jumpseat before falling to the floor. The flight attendant was able to secure themselves in a jumpseat for the remainder of the turbulence encounter. Following the turbulence, the captain made a “flight attendants, please check in” PA, and the purser initially reported that all was well. However, later the purser informed the cockpit that a flight attendant had fallen in the aft galley during the turbulence. The captain visited the injured flight attendant, who reported lower back pain but stated they were fit to continue duties. The crew contacted dispatch via satellite communications and given the flight attendant’s ability to continue working, they elected to continue to LIM without diversionand decided no further Medlink action was necessary. The approach and landing into Lima were normal. After deplaning, the captain spoke with the injured flight attendant, who again declined medical attention, and was able to depart the flight and airport without assistance. However, when the injured flight attendant returned to Houston, the they were medically examined, and it was determined that they had sustained fractures of two vertebrae. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N647UA](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N647UA), registered now, S/N 25284, 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: 25284 - Year built: 1992 - Airframe hours: 128296 - Engines: P&W PW4060 62000 lbs thrust turbo fan; P&W PW4060 62000 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, February 4, 2024 - Departed: KIAH, Houston, TX - Destination: SPJC, Lima, OF - Flight plan: IFR - Equipment: Angle of attack indicator, Auto-pilot, Data recorder, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, ADS-B, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Onboard weather, Satellite tracking device, Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 48; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review September 7, 2024; seat: left; flight hours: 20,300 total, 1,666 in this make and model, 6,600 as pilot in command, 96 in the last 90 days, 15 in the last 30 days - Co-pilot; age 31; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review July 23, 2024; seat: right; flight hours: 4,479 total, 250 in this make and model, 1,969 as pilot in command, 36 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Lowest ceiling: 25,000 ft broken - Altimeter: 29.96 inHg - Observed at: MMUN ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 14, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=199575. 2.3 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 2.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19384076&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20DCA25LA091%20-%20Copy2red2_Print-Rel.pdf - Captain's statement (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 39 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19168485&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=UA854%20NTSB%20Statement%20CA.%20FINAL-Rel.pdf - First officer's statement (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 52 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19168857&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=UA854%20NTSB%20Statment%20FO%20FINAL-Rel.pdf - Cabin crew's statement (item 4, PDF, 2 pages, 70 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19169359&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=UAL%20854%20Cabin%20Crew%20Statements-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.