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DCA14CA036

2014-01-10 · Atlanta, Georgia, United States · Serious · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Current FAA registration · N687DL

Make / Model
BOEING 757-232
Year of manufacture
1998 · 16 years old at event
Seats / Engines
178 seats · 2 engines
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A91D8E

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

unexpected encounter with convective turbulence while the flight attendants were preparing for arrival.

Factual narrative

The flight crew was anticipating light turbulence during the descent and notified the cabin and selected the fasten seatbelt sign on prior to descending from 28,000 feet. During the descent, as the flight attendants (FA) were still preparing the cabin for arrival, the turbulence increased to a level the crew categorized as moderate. During this time, while trying to get to her seat, a FA was thrown against the 3L door and fell to the floor injuring her right ankle. The FA could not complete her duties and was assisted into the last row of seats. Another FA informed the flight crew who arranged for paramedics to meet the airplane. The FA was transported to the hospital and diagnosed with a broken right tibia in two places. The flight crew was anticipating light turbulence during the descent and notified the cabin and selected the fasten seatbelt sign on prior to descending from 28,000 feet.  During the descent, as the flight attendants (FA) were still preparing the cabin for arrival, the turbulence increased to a level the crew categorized as moderate. During this time, while trying to get to her seat, a FA was thrown against the 3L door and fell to the floor injuring her right ankle.  The FA could not complete her duties and was assisted into the last row of seats.  Another FA informed the flight crew who arranged for paramedics to meet the airplane. The FA was transported to the hospital and diagnosed with a broken right tibia in two places.   Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Turbulence-Convective turbulence-Effect on personnel - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2014_DCA14CA036.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

Search this event elsewhere

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Related research

Matched on aircraft type or causal vocabulary (turbulence). All research papers