# NTSB DCA25LA238: Boeing 737-924ER, N28478, Fort Myers, FL, June 16, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: June 15, 2025, 21:17 local (Jun 16, 2025, 01:17 UTC) - Place: Fort Myers, FL - Coordinates: 26.537525, -81.762923 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.5375&lon=-81.7629&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach: Turbulence encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 2 serious, 1 minor, 75 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 10, 2025 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Major Investigations Division - Parties: United, FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 200351 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA25LA238 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200351/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200351 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA25LA238 ## Probable cause The airplane’s inadvertent encounter with convective turbulence during descent, which resulted in serious injuries to two flight attendants. ## 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 personnel (probable cause); cases with it: [Boeing 737-924ER, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032020/cases.md?model=13848A3), [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. - [Approach: Turbulence encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360) (defining event); cases with it: [Boeing 737-924ER, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md?model=13848A3), [All aircraft, 423 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md) ## Analysis United Airlines flight 2857, from George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), Houston, Texas to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL), Fort Lauderdale, Florida, encountered unanticipated turbulence during descent. Two flight attendants (FAs) sustained serious injuries, one sustained a minor injury, and there were no passenger injuries. According to the flight crew, the captain, who was the pilot flying, reported that prior to departure from Houston, he conducted a turbulence mitigation briefing with the cabin crew emphasizing expected callouts and seating times. The flight was delayed approximately two hours due to thunderstorms and ramp closures at IAH. Departure and cruise were uneventful. During descent through approximately 35,000 feet (FL350), the seat belt sign was turned on. The FO, acting as pilot monitoring, made the public address (PA) to passengers and instructed the cabin crew to “prepare the cabin for landing” while descending through about 31,000 feet. According to both pilots, no turbulence was reported by air traffic control, and onboard weather radar and turbulence detection systems indicated no significant activity. The flight was operating in and out of instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) at the time. While descending through approximately FL250, the captain observed green and yellow radar returns rapidly developing directly ahead of the airplane. Before the flight crew could request for deviations, the airplane encountered a sudden, brief episode of moderate turbulence lasting approximately 3 to 5 seconds. The autopilot remained engaged, and the airplane remained in positive control throughout. The FO immediately made a PA announcement instructing the cabin crew to be seated. Following the turbulence encounter, the purser contacted the flight deck to report that three FAs had been injured. FA2, located in the aft galley, was thrown upward and landed on her left foot, sustaining a serious foot injury. FA3, while securing the aft lavatory, fell to the lavatory floor during the turbulence, twisting her left ankle and sustaining a serious injury. FA4, positioned in the forward galley, was thrown into the 1L door, later diagnosed with sprains and contusions. Two medical professionals on board assisted and examined the injured FAs during the remainder of the flight. The flight crew coordinated with dispatch and Fort Lauderdale operations to have emergency medical personnel meet the airplane upon arrival and provide medical attention to the injured FAs. The three injured FAs were transported to a local hospital. There were no other injuries, and the airplane was not damaged. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N28478](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N28478), registered now, S/N 31649, built 2013 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BOEING 737-924ER - Registry model: [Boeing 737-924ER](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-737-924er) (registry code 13848A3) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [CFM International CFM56-7B27E series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/cfm-international-cfm56-7b27e-series) (registry code 13078, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 31649 - Year built: 2013 - Airframe hours: 36890 - Engines: CFM INTL CFM56-7B27E 27300 lbs thrust turbo fan; CFM INTL CFM56-7B27E 27300 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, August 16, 2024 - Departed: IAH, Houston, TX - Destination: Same as departure - Flight plan: IFR - Equipment: Angle of attack indicator, Auto-pilot, Data recorder, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Onboard weather, Satellite tracking device, ADS-B, Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 34; injuries: none; military, airline transport, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review February 3, 2025; seat: left; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 3,845 total, 775 in this make and model, 2,219 as pilot in command, 187 in the last 90 days, 67 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours - Co-pilot; age 50; injuries: none; flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review November 13, 2024; seat: right; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 10,174 total, 3,273 in this make and model, 3,033 as pilot in command, 190 in the last 90 days, 65 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Lowest ceiling: 25,000 ft overcast - Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 73 °F - Altimeter: 88.86 inHg - Turbulence: Moderate - Observed at: KRSW ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 10, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200351. 2.9 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 2.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19625692&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20DCA25LA238%20Printed_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Captain's statement (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 52 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19621431&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=UA2857%20NTSB%20Statement%20CA%20(FINAL)-Rel.pdf - First officer's statements (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 81 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19497429&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=UA2857%20NTSB%20Statement%20FO%20(FINAL)-Rel.pdf - Cabin crew statements (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 61 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19625458&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=DCA25LA238%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.