# NTSB DFW06LA115: Boeing 777-233ER, N789AN, DFW Int'l Apt, TX, April 25, 2006 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 25, 2006, 17:30 local (22:30 UTC) - Place: DFW Int'l Apt, TX - Coordinates: 32.8913888888889, -97.0361111111111 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.8914&lon=-97.0361&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 253 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 31, 2006 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Dallas/Fort Worth FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 63601 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DFW06LA115 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/63601/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DFW06LA115 ## Probable cause The in-flight encounter with turbulence in clouds resulting in a flight attendant being injured. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, descent - normal - seat belt - not used, flight attendant (cause) - weather condition - turbulence in clouds (cause) ## Analysis An airline passenger flight was descending into the airport terminal area from 36,000 feet, with the seat belt sign on. Approximately 25,000 feet, the captain made a passenger announcement, and then told the flight attendants to prepare for landing. Shortly after the announcement, the airplane experienced moderate turbulence, and a flight attendant who had not yet sat down fell into a closet door and sustained a fractured ankle. Paramedics were called to meet the airplane at the gate, and the flight landed without further incidence. There was no significant meteorological information (SIGMET) issued, and there was no damage to the airplane. ## Factual narrative On April 25, 2006, approximately 1730 central daylight time (CDT), a twin-engine Boeing 777 transport category airplane, N789AN, operated by American Airlines, Inc., as flight 945, encountered moderate turbulence during descent into the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), near Dallas, Texas. There was no damage to the airplane. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed for the scheduled domestic flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121. One flight attendant sustained serious injuries. The remaining 2 flight crewmembers, 7 flight attendants, and 244 passengers were not injured. The flight originated from the Miami International Airport (MIA) at 1619 eastern daylight time (EDT), with DFW as its intended destination. The captain stated that he informed the cabin crew he was going to turn on the seat belt sign early because of the possibility of turbulence. Soon after initial descent from 36,000 feet, the seat belt sign was turned on. He added that about 25 minutes from DFW while at approximately 25,000 feet, he made a passenger announcement (PA) and told the flight attendants to prepare for landing. Shortly after the announcement, the airplane experienced "what I would classify as moderate turbulence at most." About 20 minutes before landing, the captain called to make sure the flight attendants were in their seats, but was informed that one of the flight attendants had suffered a broken ankle. The first officer then called to have paramedics meet the airplane at the gate. The flight landed without further incidence. The flight attendant reported that the last 45 minutes of the flight was turbulent, and the flight attendants were in their assigned jump seats most of the time. The flight attendant stated that she was closing a closet after passing out coats to first class customers when the accident occurred. She said, "I turned and fell into the closet due to the airplane dropping due to turbulence." She immediately informed another flight attendant that she thought she had just broken her ankle. According to safety personnel form American Airlines, the flight attendant sustained a dislocation and double fracture of her left ankle. The company issued weather forecast for flight 945 showed that marginal visual flight rules (MVFR) conditions would continue until the next morning over the eastern half of Texas, with scattered to broken showers continuing during the afternoon. There was no significant meteorological information (SIGMET) issued for DFW for thunderstorm activity (TSTM) or clear air turbulence (CAT). At 1753, the automated surface observing system at DFW reported wind from 350 degrees at 14 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, overcast skies at 3,700 feet, temperature 17 degrees Centigrade, dew point 8 degree Centigrade, and barometric pressure at 29.94 inches of Mercury. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N789AN](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N789AN), registered now, S/N 30252, built 2000 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Boeing 777-233ER - Registry model: [Boeing 777-223](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-777-223) (registry code 1385213) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rolls-Royce RB-211 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rolls-royce-rb-211-series) (registry code 54555, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 30252 - Airframe hours: 22155 - Engines: Rolls-Royce RB211 92450 lbs thrust turbo fan; Rolls-Royce RB211 92450 lbs thrust turbo fan - Damage: No damage - Flight: Part 121 - Registered owner: American Airlines - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, February 1, 2006 - Departed: MIA, Miami, FL - Destination: DFW, Dallas, TX - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: DFW, Dallas/Fort Worth Int'l ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 57; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1; last flight review December 1, 2005; seat: left; flight hours: 19,600 total, 9,700 in this make and model, 14,000 as pilot in command, 120 in the last 90 days, 30 in the last 30 days - Co-pilot; age 43; injuries: none; commercial, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1; last flight review September 1, 2005; seat: right; flight hours: 11,000 total, 1,100 in this make and model, 2,000 as pilot in command, 30 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk - Wind: 350° at 14 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 3,700 ft broken - Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 46 °F - Altimeter: 29.94 inHg - Observed at: DFW, 75 nm away ## 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 20060425010089A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060425010089A), Apr 25, 2006: Boeing 777223, Dallas-Ft Worth, TX. (-23) On April 25, 2006, approximately 1730 CDT, an American airlines' Boeing 777, N789A, flight 945 encountered moderate turbulence during descent into… ## Other investigations on N789AN (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 DCA21LA095](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA21LA095), Mar 15, 2021: Boeing 777-223 (N789AN), Fort Worth, TX, no damage. Probable cause: an encounter with clear air turbulence during approach - [NTSB MIA00LA271](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA00LA271), Sep 26, 2000: Boeing 777-223 (N789AN), Miami, FL, no damage. Probable cause: an in-flight encounter with turbulence. 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.