# NTSB NYC06LA115: Embraer 145LR, N653AE, Winchester, VA, May 13, 2006

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: May 13, 2006, 16:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place: Winchester, VA
- Coordinates: 39.138332, -78.120002
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.1383&lon=-78.1200&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious, 45 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report March 26, 2007
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 64159
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC06LA115
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/64159/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC06LA115

## Probable cause

The passenger's failure to heed the flight attendant warning and the seat belt sign.  A factor was the turbulence.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Miscellaneous/other, maneuvering
  - weather condition - turbulence in clouds (contributing factor)
  - unsafe/hazardous condition warning - not followed, passenger (cause)

## Analysis

The airplane was approaching its destination, at 10,000 feet, and the seat belt sign had been illuminated for 10-15 minutes, when the crew noticed that clouds ahead "appeared bumpy."  The flight attendant was notified, and she advised the passengers of possible turbulence via the public address system.  A passenger subsequently got out of her seat to use the lavatory, and upon leaving the lavatory, while the airplane was in a cloud and experiencing turbulence, she fell and broke her ankle.

## Factual narrative

On May 13, 2006, about 1600 eastern daylight time, a passenger was seriously injured when an Embrear 145LR, N653AE, operating as American Eagle flight 3967, encountered turbulence near Winchester, Virginia.  Three crewmembers and 42 passengers were not injured, and there was no damage to the airplane.  Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed.  The flight was operating on an instrument flight rules flight plan between Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD), Chicago, Illinois, and Washington Dulles International Airport, Dulles, Virginia.  The scheduled passenger flight was being operated under 14 CFR Part 121.

According to the captain, the airplane was operating at 10,000 feet, near TRIXY intersection, and the seat belt sign had been illuminated for 10-15 minutes, when the crew noticed that clouds ahead "appeared bumpy."  The flight attendant was notified, and she advised the passengers of possible turbulence via the public address system.  A passenger subsequently got out of her seat to use the lavatory, and upon leaving the lavatory, while the airplane was in a cloud for about 20 seconds and experiencing turbulence, she fell and broke her ankle.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N653AE](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N653AE), registered now, S/N 145433, built 2001 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Embraer 145LR
- Registry model: [Embraer EMB-145LR](https://openairdocs.org/model/embraer-emb-145lr) (registry code 3260212) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Rolls-Royce AE-3007A1P](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rolls-royce-ae-3007a1p) (registry code 54571, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 145433
- Engines: Rolls-Royce AE 3007A1 8338 lbs thrust turbo fan; Rolls-Royce AE 3007A1 8338 lbs thrust turbo fan
- Damage: No damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Registered owner: American Eagle Airlines, Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Departed: ORD, Chicago, IL
- Destination: IAD, Dulles, VA
- Flight plan: IFR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 48; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1; last flight review January 1, 2006; seat: left; flight hours: 16,491 total, 4,156 in this make and model, 6,519 as pilot in command

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day
- Wind: 160° at 9 knots
- Lowest ceiling: 9,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 68 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observed at: OKV, 1 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 20060513029749A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060513029749A), May 13, 2006: Emb EMB145LR, Winchester, VA. (-23) On may 12, 2006 about 1600 eastern daylight time, a passenger was seriously injured when an Embraer 145LR, N653AE, operating as American eagle flight…

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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