- Date
- August 29, 2004, 14:15 local (18:15 UTC)
- Place
- Clyde, NY
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 18 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N810AEEmbraer EMB-135KL
- Status
- Completed · report March 28, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20040829021469A
- Case key
- 60020
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
An unexpected encounter with clear air turbulence.
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
While in cruise flight, the captain observed a storm about 25 to 50 miles ahead. He then made a cabin announcement to fasten seatbelts, and advised the flight attendant via interphone to take her seat. While on the phone, the airplane encountered turbulence, and the flight attendant fell to the floor. A beverage service cart subsequently fell on her legs, resulting in serious injury.
Factual narrative
!!This case was modified on March 8, 2006!!
On August 29, 2004, about 1415 eastern daylight time, an Embraer EMB-135KL, N810AE, operated by American Eagle Airlines as flight 4568, was undamaged following an encounter with turbulence near Clyde, New York. There were no injuries to the 2 certificated airline transport pilots and 16 passengers; while 1 flight attendant was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the scheduled passenger flight, which originated at Toronto/Pearson International Airport (CYYZ), Toronto, Canada, destined for Boston/Logan International Airport (BOS), Boston, Massachusetts. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 121.
According to an overview report provided by the operator, the airplane was in cruise flight at flight level 290, when the captain observed a storm about 25 to 50 miles ahead. He then made a cabin announcement to fasten seatbelts, and advised the flight attendant via interphone to take her seat. While the flight attendant was on the phone, the airplane encountered severe turbulence, and she fell to the floor. A beverage service cart subsequently fell on her legs, resulting in serious injury.
The captain then elected to divert the flight to Albany International Airport (ALB), Albany, New York so the flight attendant could receive medical attention.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N810AE
- Reported as
- Embraer EMB-135KL
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 145525
- Airframe hours
- 6,696
- Engines
- Rolls-Royce AE3007A, 7,201 lbs thrust, turbo fanRolls-Royce 3007, turbo fan
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Registered owner
- American Eagle Airlines Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · August 1, 2004 · 60 hours before
- Departed
- CYYZ · Toronto
- Destination
- KBOS · Boston, MA
- 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
- 47
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 1, 2004
- Seat
- Left
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Age
- 31
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 1, 2004
- Seat
- Right
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.