# NTSB NYC03LA104: Boeing B767-300, N650UA, New Market, VA, May 7, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 7, 2003, 16:15 local (20:15 UTC) - Place: New Market, VA - Coordinates: 38.635555, -78.666664 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.6356&lon=-78.6667&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 147 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 2, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 56968 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC03LA104 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/56968/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC03LA104 ## Probable cause The inadvertent encounter with turbulence. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, descent - normal - flight into adverse weather - inadvertent, pilot in command(cfi) - weather condition - turbulence,convection induced (cause) ## Analysis While on approach to the airport, at flight level 210, thunderstorm cell activity was noted on the airplane's weather radar. The flight was given clearance to descend to 11,000 feet, and during the descent, an area of "moderate turbulence" was encountered, which lasted about 20-30 seconds. During the encounter, a flight attendant fell and twisted her ankle. ## Factual narrative On May 7, 2003, about 1615 eastern daylight time, a Boeing 767-300, N650UA, operated by United Airlines as flight 188, was not damaged during an encounter with turbulence near New Market, Virginia. The 2 pilots, 5 flight attendants, and 140 passengers were not injured; however, 1 flight attendant was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the flight destined for Dulles International Airport (IAD), Dulles, Virginia. The scheduled passenger flight departed San Francisco International Airport (SFO), San Francisco, California, at 0849 Pacific daylight time, and was conducted under 14 CFR Part 121. According to a representative of the airline, when the flight was 90 miles west of Dulles, at flight level 210, thunderstorm cell activity was noted on the weather radar. The flight was given clearance to descend to 11,000 feet, and during the descent, an area of "moderate turbulence" was encountered, which lasted about 20-30 seconds. During the encounter, a flight attendant fell and twisted her ankle. Upon arrival at Dulles, the flight attendant was transported to a local hospital and diagnosed with a triple fracture to her right ankle. Weather reported at Dulles Airport, at 1621, included winds from 130 degrees at 4 knots, 10 miles visibility, thunderstorms and light rain, a few clouds at 900 feet, scattered cumulonimbus clouds at 2,300 feet, a broken cloud layer at 4,000 feet, and another broken cloud layer at 14,000 feet. The temperature was reported as 75 degrees Fahrenheit, the dew point was 64 degrees Fahrenheit, and the barometric pressure was 29.81 inches Hg. ## Aircraft - Registration: N650UA (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Boeing B767-300 - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 25287 - Airframe hours: 47864 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney PW 4060 60000 lbs thrust turbo fan; Pratt & Whitney PW 4060 60000 lbs thrust turbo fan - Damage: No damage - Flight: Part 121 - Operator: United Airlines, doing business as United Airlines - Registered owner: Wilmington Trust CO. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, March 4, 2003, 746 hours before - Departed: SFO, San Francisco, CA - Destination: IAD, Dulles, VA - Flight plan: IFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 47; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review July 1, 2002; seat: left; flight hours: 4,993 total, 3,862 in this make and model - Co-pilot; age 41; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review January 1, 2003; seat: right; flight hours: 5,377 total, 2,374 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 130° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 4,000 ft broken - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 64 °F - Altimeter: 29.80 inHg - Observed at: IAD, 90 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 20030507036929A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030507036929A), May 7, 2003: Boeing 767322, New Market, VA. (-23) While on approach to the airport at flight level 210, thunderstorm cell activity was noted on the airplanes weather radar. The flight was given clearance… 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.