- Date
- April 24, 2003, 22:35 local (Apr 25, 2003, 02:35 UTC)
- Place
- Roanoke, VA
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 7 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N427FJDornier 328-300
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20030424036909A
- Case key
- 56882
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 airplane's encounter with unforecasted clear air turbulence during cruise flight.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
During cruise flight at 22,000 feet, the airplane encountered unforecasted clear air turbulence. The flight attendant, who was standing at the time, sustained serious injuries when she was thrown against the bulkhead, then to the floor. Following the turbulence encounter, the airplane continued to its destination and landed uneventfully. A review of the flight release that was issued to the pilots revealed a warning for occasional moderate turbulence below 12,000 feet for an area several hundred miles to the west of the airplane's route of flight. In addition, no SIGMETs or AIRMETs were issued for the Roanoke, Virginia, area.
Factual narrative
On April 24, 2003, about 2235 eastern daylight time, a Fairchild-Dornier 328-300, N427FJ, operated by Atlantic Coast Airlines (ACA) as Delta Connection flight 6262, was not damaged after it encountered turbulence during cruise flight. There were no injuries to the two certificated pilots and five passengers; however, the flight attendant sustained serious injuries. An instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan had been filed for the flight from Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG), Covington, Kentucky, to Roanoke Regional Airport (ROA), Roanoke, Virginia. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 121.
According to the captain, the flight was at cruise altitude at 22,000 feet in visual meteorological conditions. The airplane encountered a "light chop," so he kept the fasten-seatbelt sign illuminated. Without warning, the flight encountered "moderate turbulence" for 2 to 5 seconds. There was minimal altitude loss and the autopilot maintained control of the airplane. Following the turbulence encounter, the crew requested from air traffic control clearance to descend to 19,000 feet, where the remainder of the flight was smooth.
The first officer provided a similar account of the events.
In a written statement, the flight attendant stated that "continuous light turbulence" was encountered during the flight. While standing in the galley, the airplane suddenly encountered "severe clear air turbulence," which threw her against the bulkhead. As she regained her balance, the airplane encountered more turbulence, which knocked her to the floor.
The flight continued to Roanoke Regional Airport and landed uneventfully.
A review of the flight release that was issued to the pilots revealed a warning for occasional moderate turbulence below 12,000 feet for an area several hundred miles to the west of the airplane's route of flight. In addition, no SIGMETs or AIRMETs were issued for the Roanoke area.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N427FJ
- Reported as
- Dornier 328-300
- Category
- Airplane
- Engine
- Pratt & Whitney PW-306B, 6,050 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- Atlantic Coast Airlines, doing business as Delta Connection
- Registered owner
- First Union National Bank
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Departed
- CVG · Covington, KY
- Destination
- ROA · Roanoke, VA
- Flight plan
- IFR
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 31
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- March 7, 2003
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,000 total · 31 in this make and model
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- November 10, 2002
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 2,560 total · 908 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 170° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 41 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.93 inHg
- Observed at
- KROA
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.