- Date
- April 16, 2011, 22:42 local (Apr 17, 2011, 02:42 UTC)
- Place
- Cheltenham, MD
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 185 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N200UUBoeing 757-2B7
- Defining event
- Enroute-descent: Turbulence encounter
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report August 22, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- Case key
- 78886
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The in-flight encounter with turbulence, resulting in an injury to a cabin attendant.
Findings · 1
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
According to the captain, the air carrier flight was descending out of flight level 240, when he asked the flight attendants to secure the cabin and take their seats because of anticipated turbulence. Approximately three minutes later, the airplane was at flight level 200 when it experienced moderate to severe turbulence for several seconds. According to the flight attendants, they were standing and completing the prelanding requirements at the time, when they were unable to maintain their balance. One of the flight attendants sustained a serious foot injury due to a fall, while the others were not injured. The airplane was not damaged and landed uneventfully at the destination airport.
Factual narrative
According to the Captain, the air carrier flight was descending out of flight level 240, when he asked the flight attendants to secure the cabin and take their seats because of anticipated turbulence. Two to three minutes later, the airplane was at flight level 200 when it experienced moderate to severe turbulence for several seconds. According to the flight attendants, they were standing and completing the prelanding requirements at the time, when they were unable to maintain their balance. One of the flight attendants sustained a serious foot injury due to a fall, while the others were not injured. The airplane was not damaged and landed uneventfully at the destination airport.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N200UU
- Reported as
- Boeing 757-2B7
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 27809
- Engines
- Rolls-Royc RB.211 SERIES, 22,000 lbs thrust, turbo fanRolls-Royc RB.211 SERIES, 22,000 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- U.S. Airways, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Wells Fargo Bank Northwest Na Trustee
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · April 16, 2011
- Departed
- MCO · Orlando, FL
- Destination
- PHL · Philadelphia, PA
- Flight plan
- IFR
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 60
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight engineer, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 22, 2010
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 26,606 total · 1,602 in this make and model · 11,471 as pilot in command · 200 in the last 90 days · 64 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Age
- 56
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport, Flight engineer
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 21, 2010
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 18,974 total · 1,566 in this make and model · 88 in the last 90 days · 31 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 310° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 2 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,900 ft broken
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.54 inHg
- Observed at
- NAK, 16 nm away