- Date
- October 22, 2005, 14:40 local (18:40 UTC)
- Place
- Atlantic Ocean (Atlantic Ocean)
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 2 minor, 147 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N378DABoeing 737-832
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 3, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA FSDO-01
- FAA report
- 20051022031479A
- Case key
- 62719
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 encounter with 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
Light turbulence prevailed during the climb after takeoff, and the seatbelt sign remained illuminated. About 230 miles northwest of the departure airport, at 34,000 feet, the turbulence subsided; however, more turbulence was forecasted for about 150 miles ahead of the airplane. The captain announced to the passengers that the seatbelt sign would be turned off for 10 minutes to allow them an opportunity to move about the cabin, but would be turned on again due to the upcoming turbulence. About 3 minutes after turning the seatbelt sign back on, the airplane encountered moderate turbulence. During that time, two passengers fell as they were attempting to sit down. In addition, a flight attendant fell to the floor as she was attempting to sit, and fractured her pelvis.
Factual narrative
On October 22, 2005, about 1440 eastern daylight time, a Boeing 737-832, N378DA, operated by Delta Air Lines Inc., as flight 612, was not damaged during an encounter with turbulence in cruise flight about 300 miles northwest of Hamilton, Bermuda. There were no injuries to the 2 certificated airline transport pilots, 2 flight attendants, and 143 passengers; while 1 flight attendant was seriously injured, and 2 passengers sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that departed Hamilton, Bermuda; destined for General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport (BOS), Boston, Massachusetts. An instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the air carrier flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 121.
The flightcrew reported that light turbulence prevailed during the climb from Bermuda, and the seatbelt sign remained illuminated. About 230 miles northwest of Bermuda, at 34,000 feet, the turbulence subsided; however, more turbulence was forecasted for about 150 miles ahead of the airplane. The captain announced to the passengers that the seatbelt sign would be turned off for 10 minutes to allow them an opportunity to move about the cabin, but would be turned on again due to the upcoming turbulence. The captain also decided against meal service due to the anticipated turbulence after 10 minutes.
About 300 miles northwest of Bermuda, the captain turned the seatbelt sign back on. About 3 minutes later, the airplane encountered moderate turbulence. During that time, two passengers and a flight attendant fell as they were attempting to sit down. The passengers sustained minor injuries, and the flight attendant fractured her pelvis.
The flight subsequently landed uneventfully at BOS, and was met by medical personnel.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N378DA
- Reported as
- Boeing 737-832
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 29624
- Airframe hours
- 19,800
- Engines
- Snecma CFM56-7B26, 26,000 lbs thrust, turbo fanSnecma CFM56-7B26, 26,000 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Registered owner
- Delta Air Lines Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · October 1, 2005 · 30 hours before
- Departed
- BDA · Hamilton
- Destination
- BOS · 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
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 1, 2006
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 14,230 total · 1,950 in this make and model · 200 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Age
- 36
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight engineer
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 1, 2005
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 9,352 total · 3,263 in this make and model · 185 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 50° at 14 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,900 ft broken
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.87 inHg
- Observed at
- BOS, 500 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.
Other investigations on N378DA · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.