Event CHI03LA031

Factual narrative

On November 28, 2002, at 2125 central standard time, a flight attendant was seriously injured when struck by a galley service cart during initial climb from the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport (MSP), Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Airbus Industrie A320-211, N324US, was operated by Northwest Airlines as flight 575 under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 121. The remaining flight crew and 38 passengers reported no injuries. The flight departed MSP at 2106 and was en route to Sacramento, California, at the time of the accident. The flight returned to MSP and landed without further incident. According to company personnel, the galley service cart was not secured properly prior to departure and became detached from the forward galley during climb out. The galley service cart traveled down the center aisle and struck a flight attendant in the aft galley, fracturing his ankle. No anomalies were found with the galley service cart or the galley in which it was stationed prior to takeoff. All restraint levers were intact and functioned as designed. A flight attendant was seriously injured when struck by a galley service cart during initial climb after takeoff. According to company personnel, the galley service cart was not secured properly prior to departure and became detached from the forward galley during climb out. The galley service cart traveled down the center aisle and struck a flight attendant in the aft galley, fracturing his ankle. No anomalies were found with the galley service cart or the galley in which it was stationed prior to takeoff. All restraint levers were intact and functioned as designed. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12