- Date
- January 1, 2020, 16:40 local (Jan 2, 2020, 00:40 UTC)
- Place
- Van Nuys, CA
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 13 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N962SSGulfstream G IV
- Defining event
- Enroute-descent: Turbulence encounter
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 17, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20200101002579A
- Case key
- 100842
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
The airplane’s encounter with turbulence during descent, which resulted in a serious injury to a flight attendant.
Findings · 1
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
According to the flight crew, during the descent for landing, the airplane was approaching about 16,000 ft when air traffic control informed them of reports of moderate-to-severe turbulence. The flight crew immediately attempted several times to contact the flight attendant to inform her to take her seat, but they were unsuccessful. As the airplane descended through about 12,000 ft, it encountered moderate turbulence. After the encounter, the captain asked the first officer to check on the flight attendant and passengers. The first officer subsequently informed the captain that the flight attendant had fallen and was injured and that he assisted her and then secured her into a seat. The airplane was not damaged. The flight attendant sustained a serious injury.
Factual narrative
According to the flight crew, during the descent for landing, the flight was approaching about 16,000 ft, when air traffic control informed them of reports of moderate to severe turbulence. The flight crew immediately attempted to contact the flight attendant, to inform her to take her seat, but were unsuccessful. As the airplane descended through about 12,000 ft, the airplane entered moderate turbulence. After the encounter, the captain asked the first officer to check on the flight attendant and passengers. The first officer subsequently informed the captain that the flight attendant had fallen and was injured, after which he assisted and secured her into a seat. The airplane was not damaged. The flight attendant sustained a serious injury during the event.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N962SS
- Reported as
- Gulfstream G IV (Undesignat)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1121
- Built
- 1989
- Airframe hours
- 15,303.5
- Engines
- Rolls-Royce TAY MK 610-8, 13,850 lbs thrust, turbo fanRolls-Royce TAY MK 610-8, 13,850 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Executive Charters Inc
- Registered owner
- 8 WindowS, LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · December 10, 2019
- Departed
- LAS · Las Vegas, NV
- Destination
- VNY · Van Nuys, CA
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- VNY · Van Nuys Airport
- Equipment
- Auto-pilot, Angle of attack indicator, ADS-B, Stall warning system, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Data recorder
Flight crew · 3
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 57
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 30, 2019
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 12,000 total
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 63
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Unknown
- Last flight review
- October 31, 2019
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 14,700 total
- Role
- Cabin crew
- Injuries
- Serious
- Seat
- None
- Restraint
- None
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.90 inHg
- Turbulence
- Moderate
- Observed at
- KVNY
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 27, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 933 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.