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DCA15CA152

2015-06-28 · Boston, Massachusetts, United States · Serious · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport BOS

Current FAA registration · N335NW

Make / Model
AIRBUS INDUSTRIE A320-212
Year of manufacture
1992 · 23 years old at event
Engine
CFM INTL. CFM56 SERIES (2200 hp)
Seats / Engines
182 seats · 2 engines
Last airworthiness date
19960821
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A3A9A3

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

an inadvertent fall by the passenger while exiting the lavatory when the seat belt light was illuminated.

Factual narrative

On June 28, 2015, at 2320 eastern daylight time, a passenger fell when exiting the aft lavatory on Delta Airlines flight 2219, an Airbus A320, N335NW, while the airplane was in descent to Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), Boston, Massachusetts. According to flight crew statements, the seatbelt sign was illuminated and a public address announcement had been made to remain seated prior beginning the initial descent. About 5 minutes into the descent, the autopilot was disconnected to manage the descent profile, which resulted in a "bump" in the flight path. According to flight attendant statements, about this time, a passenger fell while exiting the rear lavatory injuring her ankle. Doctors onboard assisted in applying ice and providing pain medication and the flight crew declared an emergency with air traffic control. Emergency medical personnel met the airplane at the gate and transported the passenger to the hospital where she was diagnosed with a fractured right ankle and lower right leg. Subsequent communication from the passenger to Delta stated that she had slipped on an area of water on the floor near the lavatory door. The aircraft was operating under 14 CFR Part 121 as a scheduled flight from Orlando International Airport, Florida. On June 28, 2015, at 2320 eastern daylight time, a passenger fell when exiting the aft lavatory on Delta Airlines flight 2219, an Airbus A320, N335NW, while the airplane was in descent to Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), Boston, Massachusetts.  According to flight crew statements, the seatbelt sign was illuminated and a public address announcement had been made to remain seated prior beginning the initial descent.  About 5 minutes into the descent, the autopilot was disconnected to manage the descent profile, which resulted in a "bump" in the flight path.  According to flight attendant statements, about this time, a passenger fell while exiting the rear lavatory injuring her ankle.  Doctors onboard assisted in applying ice and providing pain medication and the flight crew declared an emergency with air traffic control.  Emergency medical personnel met the airplane at the gate and transported the passenger to the hospital where she was diagnosed with a fractured right ankle and lower right leg.  Subsequent communication from the passenger to Delta stated that she had slipped on an area of water on the floor near the lavatory door. The aircraft was operating under 14 CFR Part 121 as a scheduled flight from Orlando International Airport, Florida.  Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Personnel issues-Miscellaneous-(general)-(general)-Passenger - C
  • — Aircraft-Aircraft systems-Equipment/furnishings-Passenger compartment equip-Damaged/degraded
  • — Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Pitch control-Related operating info

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2015_DCA15CA152.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

Related research

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