# NTSB DEN05LA090: Airbus Industrie A-319-114, N302NB, Scottsbluff, NE, June 11, 2005 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 10, 2005, 18:12 local (Jun 11, 2005, 00:12 UTC) - Place: Scottsbluff, NE - Coordinates: 41.859874, -103.660758 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.8599&lon=-103.6608&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 126 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 27, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Denver, CO - NTSB case key (mKey): 61741 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN05LA090 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/61741/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN05LA090 ## Probable cause the inflight encounter with moderate turbulence. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, cruise - weather condition - turbulence(thunderstorms) (cause) ## Analysis The aircraft was flying in an area of thunderstorms with the nearest cell 40 miles to the left of course. The captain said the top of a thunderstorm cell was "not painting on radar." They had been expecting light chop but encountered moderate turbulence instead. When the airplane encountered the turbulence, a flight attendant struck the ceiling and a beverage cart. The seat belt light was illuminated at the time. An emergency was declared and the aircraft landed at Denver without further incident. The injured flight attendant was taken to a hospital. An AIRMET for "occasional moderate turbulence between FL270 and FL400 associated with jet stream windshear" had been in effect for the area. There were no PIREPS (pilot reports) of turbulence before the accident, but in the 40 minutes after the accident, there were 5 pilot reports of moderate turbulence at altitudes between FL320 and FL380. ## Factual narrative On June 10, at 1812 mountain daylight time an Airbus Industrie A-319-114, N302NB, operated by Northwest Air Lines as flight 563, encountered turbulence near Scottsbluff, Nebraska, while descending through 34,000 feet msl. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight was being conducted on an IFR flight plan under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 121. One flight attendant was seriously injured. The remaining 2 pilots, 4 flight attendants, and 120 passengers aboard were not injured. The flight originated at Minneapolis, Minnesota, and was en route to Denver, Colorado. The aircraft was flying in an area of thunderstorms with the nearest cell 40 miles to the left of course. The captain said the top of a thunderstorm cell was "not painting on radar." They had been expecting light chop but encountered moderate turbulence instead. When the airplane encountered the turbulence, a flight attendant struck the ceiling, and a beverage cart. The seat belt sign was illuminated at the time. An emergency was declared and the aircraft landed at Denver without further incident. The injured flight attendant was taken to a hospital. According to Northwest Airlines, the flight attendant's injuries included two broken ribs, a liver contusion, and an intestinal blockage. According to the Denver Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS), an AIRMET for "occasional moderate turbulence between FL270 and FL400 associated with jet stream windshear" had been in effect for the area. There were no PIREPS (pilot reports) of turbulence before the accident, but in the 40 minutes after the accident, there were 5 pilot reports of moderate turbulence at altitudes between FL320 and FL380. show that an AIRMET for turbulence existed that covered the area where the aircraft encountered the turbulence. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N302NB](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N302NB), registered now, S/N 1062, built 1999 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Airbus Industrie A-319-114 - Registry model: [Airbus Industrie A319-114](https://openairdocs.org/model/airbus-industrie-a319-114) (registry code 3930350) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [CFM International CFM56 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/cfm-international-cfm56-series) (registry code 13802, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 1062 - Engines: CFM International CFM56-5-A5 turbo fan; CFM International CFM56-5-A5 turbo fan - Damage: Minor damage - Flight: Part 121 - Registered owner: Northwest Airlines Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Departed: MSP, Minneapolis, MN - Destination: DEN, Denver, CO - Flight plan: IFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 51; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review November 1, 2004; seat: left; flight hours: 10,050 total, 970 in this make and model, 970 as pilot in command - Co-pilot; age 48; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review April 1, 2005; seat: right; flight hours: 4,625 total, 1,586 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC) - Wind: 320° at 12 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,400 ft broken - Temperature: 54 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 29.87 inHg - Observed at: DEN ## 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 20050610013729A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050610013729A), Jun 10, 2005: Airbus A319114, Scottsbluff, NE. (-23) On June 10, 2005 at approximately 1730 MDT, an Airbus A-319-114, 302NB, operated by northwest airlines, flight 563, encountered turbulence that resulted… 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.