- Date
- April 7, 1997, 08:00 local (12:00 UTC)
- Place
- Newark, NJ
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 44 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N413UAAirbus Industrie A-320-232
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 4, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970407047219A
- Case key
- 39341
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 unforecasted turbulence, during cruise flight, which resulted in serious injury to the flight attendant.
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
Prior to departure, the pilot obtained a company generated full weather briefing for the intended route of flight, which did not call for turbulence. During cruise flight at 16,000 feet, the flight encountered unforecasted turbulence. During the encounter, a flight attendant fell and fractured a bone in her foot.
Factual narrative
On April 7, 1997, about 0800 eastern daylight time, an Airbus A320-232, N413UA, operated by United Airlines as flight 203, encountered turbulence during cruise flight. Five crew members and 39 passengers were not injured, and 1 flight attendant received serious injuries. The airplane was not damaged. The flight had departed the General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport (BOS), Boston, Massachusetts, about 0725, destined for Newark International Airport (EWR), Newark, New Jersey. An instrument flight rules flight plan had been filed for the scheduled domestic flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 121.
According to a United Airlines representative, the pilot obtained a company generated full weather briefing which did not call for turbulence for the route of flight. The flight was routed to EWR via BOS, GLYDE intersection, V292, V213, SAX, EWR, at 16,000 feet. While en route, during cruise, the flight encountered unexpected and unforecasted turbulence. A flight attendant working with trays in the aft cabin fell, and fractured a bone in her foot.
The weather at BOS at 0656 and 0756 respectively reported winds from 220 degrees at 8 knots; visibility 2 1/2 miles with fog; ceiling 400 broken; 600 overcast; temperature and dew point 55 degrees Fahrenheit; altimeter 29.68" Hg; and winds from 230 degrees at 8 knots; visibility 3 miles with fog; 400 scattered; 600 scattered; ceiling 1200 overcast; temperature 56 degrees Fahrenheit; dewpoint 55 degrees Fahrenheit; altimeter 29.70" Hg.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N413UA
- Reported as
- Airbus Industrie A-320-232 (A320-232)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 470
- Engine
- Int'l Aero En V2527-A5, 26,500 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Registered owner
- United Airlines
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Departed
- BOS · Boston, MA
- Destination
- EWR · NJ
- 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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 48
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 11,834 total · 1,809 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 3 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,200 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BOS
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.