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DCA16CA010

2015-10-24 · Plevna, Kansas, United States · Serious · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Current FAA registration · N69838

Make / Model
BOEING 737-924ER
Year of manufacture
2014 · 1 years old at event
Engine
CFM INTL CFM56-7B27E
Seats / Engines
191 seats · 2 engines
Last airworthiness date
20140112
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A94B50

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

An inadvertent encounter with clear air turbulence resulting in a serious injury to a flight attendant.

Factual narrative

According to flight crew statements, possible moderate turbulence was forecasted for portions of the route of flight and they briefed the flight attendants (FA) of the possible turbulence. During the first portion of the flight, several areas of turbulence were encountered. The seatbelt sign was turned on during this time and the captain told the FAs to suspend service and remain seated. The flight crew requested and was cleared to a lower altitude and the turbulence subsided. After the flight was in smooth air for several minutes, the captain advised the FAs they could leave their seats but not use the carts. About five minutes later the flight again encountered moderate to severe turbulence. The captain called the cabin and discovered two FAs in the aft galley had sustained injuries during the encounter but could continue their duties to the destination. After arrival, the FAs were transported to the hospital where one was diagnosed with a tibia plateau fracture. According to flight crew statements, possible moderate turbulence was forecasted for portions of the route of flight and they briefed the flight attendants (FA) of the possible turbulence.  During the first portion of the flight, several areas of turbulence were encountered. The seatbelt sign was turned on during this time and the captain told the FAs to suspend service and remain seated. The flight crew requested and was cleared to a lower altitude and the turbulence subsided.  After the flight was in smooth air for several minutes, the captain advised the FAs they could leave their seats but not use the carts. About five minutes later the flight again encountered moderate to severe turbulence. The captain called the cabin and discovered two FAs in the aft galley had sustained injuries during the encounter but could continue their duties to the destination.  After arrival, the FAs were transported to the hospital where one was diagnosed with a tibia plateau fracture. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

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

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2015_DCA16CA010.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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Related research

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