Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

New Market, Virginia 22824
Wednesday, May 7, 2003 16:15 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While on approach to the airport, at flight level 210, thunderstorm cell activity was noted on the airplane's weather radar. The flight was given clearance to descend to 11,000 feet, and during the descent, an area of "moderate turbulence" was encountered, which lasted about 20-30 seconds. During the encounter, a flight attendant fell and twisted her ankle.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The inadvertent encounter with turbulence.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/7/2003
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1615
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City New Market
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 22824
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 383808N
Event Location Longitude 0784000W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1621 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID IAD
Elevation of weather observation facility 313
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 90
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 900
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.81
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 147
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 14995
NTSB Notification Source United Airlines
NTSB Notification Date May 12 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1328
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Mar 2 2004 8:06AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N650UA
NTSB Number NYC03LA104
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Boeing
Aircraft Model B767-300
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 25287
Certified Max Gross Weight 407000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 204
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Mar 4 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 746
Airframe Hours 47864
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Wilmington Trust CO.
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Wilmington
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name UNITED AIRLINES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Chicago
Operator State IL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code UIYS
Owner has at least one certificate --
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger/Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) --
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SFO
Departure City San Francisco
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 849
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code IAD
Destination City Dulles
Destination State VA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Descent - normal
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Dec 19 2003 10:40AM
User who most recently changed record PEAR
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --