# NTSB ERA12LA498: Embraer ERJ 170-200 LR, N134HQ, Hilton Head, SC, August 5, 2012

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: August 5, 2012, 09:12 local (13:12 UTC)
- Place: Hilton Head, SC
- Coordinates: 32.2, -80.599998 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.2000&lon=-80.6000&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Enroute-descent: Turbulence encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious, 75 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report May 9, 2013
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA/CMO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 84594
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA12LA498
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/84594/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=84594
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12LA498

## Probable cause

The passenger’s failure to adhere to flight and cabin crewmembers’ instructions to remain seated in anticipation of adverse weather and turbulence along the airplane’s flight path.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Passenger (probable cause); cases with it: [Embraer-Empresa Brasileira De ERJ 170-200 LR, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md?model=3260121), [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md)
- [Turbulence](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032000): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Decision related to condition (probable cause); cases with it: [Embraer-Empresa Brasileira De ERJ 170-200 LR, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032000/cases.md?model=3260121), [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-descent: Turbulence encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360) (defining event); cases with it: [Embraer-Empresa Brasileira De ERJ 170-200 LR, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md?model=3260121), [All aircraft, 423 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md)
- [Enroute-descent: Cabin safety event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/110); cases with it: [Embraer-Empresa Brasileira De ERJ 170-200 LR, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/110/sequence.md?model=3260121), [All aircraft, 151 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/110/sequence.md)

## Analysis

During an en route descent, the flight crew noted adverse weather ahead and illuminated the fasten seatbelt sign. Immediately afterward, a flight attendant made a passenger announcement advising that the seatbelt sign was illuminated. Although the seatbelt sign was illuminated, an elderly passenger, who was unable to use the restroom before boarding the accident flight, left her seat for the lavatory. While the passenger was out of her seat, the flight encountered what the captain later reported to be about 2 to 3 seconds of light to moderate turbulence. The standing passenger fell to the floor and was injured. The flight crew arranged for medical personnel and equipment to meet the airplane at its destination airport. The flight continued and landed uneventfully, and the injured passenger was taken to a hospital for treatment of her injuries.

## Factual narrative

On August 5, 2012, about 0912 eastern daylight time, Republic Airlines, Inc.,(doing business as US Airways Express), flight 3133, an Embraer S.A. ERJ 170-200 LR, N134HQ, encountered turbulence while over the Atlantic Ocean near Hilton Head, South Carolina, during an en-route descent. There were no injuries to the airline transport rated captain or first officer, 2 flight attendants, or 71 passengers, while one passenger sustained serious injuries. The airplane which was not damaged was being operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 121 as a scheduled domestic passenger flight from Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Jacksonville International Airport (JAX), Jacksonville, Florida. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the altitude, and location of the turbulence, for the flight, which operated on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan. According to a chronological summary of communications, the flight was cleared to takeoff at 0755, and proceeded towards the destination airport, during which, air traffic control (ATC) communications were transferred to several different facilities. The captain stated that when the flight was near Charleston, South Carolina (while in contact with the Jacksonville Air Route Traffic Control Center (Jacksonville ARTCC)), they began descent from the cruise altitude. Knowing the weather was deteriorating ahead, he decided to turn on the seatbelt sign early for safety reasons. The “B” flight attendant who was in the back galley of the airplane later reported that after the seatbelt sign was turned on, he made, “…the seat belt announcement.” The captain further reported that during the descent, the flight encountered what he described as a small pocket of light to moderate turbulence which lasted approximately 2 to 3 seconds, then smoothed out for most of the remainder of the flight, with some chop reported. About 1 minute after encountering the turbulence, one of the flight attendants contacted the flight deck and reported injury to one passenger who had gotten up after the seatbelt sign was illuminated and the seatbelt announcement was made. The captain made an announcement about the need to remain seated with seatbelts fastened, and called to the destination airport operations and requested medical equipment be standing by. According to the transcription of communications with Jacksonville ARTCC, there was no record that the pilot advised air traffic control of the turbulence encounter. The flight continued to the destination airport and landed without incident, where the injured passenger was transported to a local hospital for treatment of her injuries. A relative of the passenger who sustained the serious injury and who was travelling with her reported that a connecting flight prior to the accident flight was delayed, and after landing they were rushed to board the airplane for the accident flight. Before the turbulenceencounter he reported hearing an announcement to fasten their seatbelts; however, the passenger believed this was because the flight was close to the destination airport, and not related to weather conditions. As such, the passenger who was injured left her seat and walked to the lavatory, where, while out of her seat, the flight encountered “…heavy turbulence which threw her to the floor”, resulting in her injuries. The relative of the injured passenger and a flight attendant moved her to another seat where she remained for landing.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N134HQ](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N134HQ), registered now, S/N 17000220, built 2008 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: EMBRAER S.A. ERJ 170-200 LR
- Registry model: [Embraer-Empresa Brasileira De ERJ 170-200 LR](https://openairdocs.org/model/embraer-empresa-brasileira-de-erj-170-200-lr) (registry code 3260121) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [GE CF34-8E5](https://openairdocs.org/engine/ge-cf34-8e5) (registry code 30061, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 17000220
- Airframe hours: 11691
- Engines: GE CF34-8E5 14510 lbs thrust turbo fan; GE CF34-8E5 14510 lbs thrust turbo fan
- Damage: No damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Operator: Republic Airlines, Inc., doing business as US Airways Express
- Registered owner: Republic Airline Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Departed: PHL, Philadelphia, PA
- Destination: JAX, Jacksonville, FL
- Flight plan: IFR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 42; injuries: none; airline transport, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review September 30, 2011; seat: left
- Co-pilot; age 33; injuries: none; commercial, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1; last flight review October 31, 2011; seat: right

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day
- Wind: 180° at 8 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 2,200 ft broken
- Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observed at: HXD, 5 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 20120805019789A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120805019789A), Aug 5, 2012: Embraer-Empresa Brasileira De ERJ 170-200 LR, Jacksonville, FL, No damage. Passenger fell in aisle before entering lavatory. Aircraft was in descent

## Docket (5 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 20, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=84594. 2.3 MB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 553 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40382947&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF
- Statement and Itinerary from Alex Suto (Passenger) (item 2, .PDF, 419 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40382952&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20and%20Itinerary%20from%20Alex%20Suto%20(Passenger)-Redacted.PDF
- Weather Reports and Records (item 3, .PDF, 16 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40382945&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Reports%20and%20Records-Master.PDF
- Transcript of Radio Communications and Chronological Summary of Flight Communications (item 4, .PDF, 917 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40382969&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Transcript%20of%20Radio%20Communications%20and%20Chronological%20Summary%20of%20Flight%20Communications-Redacted.PDF
- Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation (item 5, .PDF, 427 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40382970&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20Party%20Representatives%20to%20NTSB%20Investigation-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.

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