# NTSB ERA10CA022: Boeing 767-3P6, N156DL, Argentina, October 5, 2009 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: October 5, 2009, 23:44 local (23:44 UTC) - Place: Argentina - Coordinates: -34.62611, -52.639446 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=-34.6261&lon=-52.6394&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, 231 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 19, 2010 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/AVP-100 - NTSB case key (mKey): 74929 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA10CA022 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/74929/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74929 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10CA022 ## Probable cause An inadvertent encounter with turbulence, which resulted in an injury to a flight cabin attendant. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Turbulence](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032000): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on personnel (probable cause); cases with it: [Boeing 767-3P6, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032000/cases.md?model=1385105), [All aircraft, 92 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032000/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 767-3P6, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md?model=1385105), [All aircraft, 423 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md) ## Analysis During the cruise portion of a scheduled international passenger flight, a flight attendant incurred serious injury while trying to stow a beverage cart during an encounter with turbulence. The flight attendant stated, "…the cart as it often does, went to the side and not forward as I was trying to put it in its secured position. Unknown to me, when the cart went on [its] own route to the side and not forward it must have caused a whip lash." The flight attendant continued with her duties for the remainder of the flight, and sought medical attention after the flight landed at its scheduled destination. The flight attendant's injuries consisted of two fractured ribs. According to statements provided by the cockpit crew, they were unaware that anyone had been injured until several days after the conclusion of the flight. None recalled encountering any significant turbulence during the flight. Seven other flight attendants also provided written statements. Five of the flight attendants did not recall anything abnormal about the flight, one recalled encountering a "patch of rough air," and one recalled encountering an unexpected area of "severe turbulence." Due to the Safety Board's late notification of the event, flight data recorder information pertaining to the accident flight was not available. The exact time and location that the event took place could not be determined. ## Factual narrative During the cruise portion of a scheduled international passenger flight, a flight attendant incurred serious injury while trying to stow a beverage cart during an encounter with turbulence. The flight attendant stated, "…the cart as it often does, went to the side and not forward as I was trying to put it in its secured position. Unknown to me, when the cart went on [its] own route to the side and not forward it must have caused a whip lash." The flight attendant continued with her duties for the remainder of the flight, and sought medical attention after the flight landed at its scheduled destination. The flight attendant's injuries consisted of two fractured ribs. According to statements provided by the cockpit crew, they were unaware that anyone had been injured until several days after the conclusion of the flight. None recalled encountering any significant turbulence during the flight. Seven other flight attendants also provided written statements. Five of the flight attendants did not recall anything abnormal about the flight, one recalled encountering a "patch of rough air," and one recalled encountering an unexpected area of "severe turbulence." Due to the Safety Board's late notification of the event, flight data recorder information pertaining to the accident flight was not available. The exact time and location that the event took place could not be determined. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N156DL](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N156DL-2023-08-25), registration cancelled 2023-08-25, S/N 25354, built 1991 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BOEING 767-3P6 - Registry model: [Boeing 767-3P6](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-767-3p6) (registry code 1385105) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 25354 - Airframe hours: 76843 - Engines: General Electric CF6-80C2 45720 lbs thrust turbo fan; General Electric CF6-80C2 45720 lbs thrust turbo fan - Damage: No damage - Flight: Part 121 - Operator: Delta Air Lines Inc - Registered owner: Delta Air Lines Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, January 8, 2009, 76,843 hours before - Departed: SAEZ, Buenos Aires - Destination: ATL, Atlanta, GA - Flight plan: IFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 50; injuries: none; airline transport, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, unknown; last flight review April 3, 2009; seat: left; flight hours: 12,715 total, 2,797 in this make and model - Pilot; age 49; injuries: none; airline transport, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, unknown; last flight review April 19, 2009; seat: right; flight hours: 7,461 total, 3,733 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 15, 2009, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74929. 583 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 450 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40322547&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Injured Flight Attendant's Statement (item 2, .PDF, 25 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40322551&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Injured%20Flight%20Attendant%27s%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - Other Crew Statements (item 3, .PDF, 107 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40322550&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Other%20Crew%20Statements-Redacted.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.