Hartsfield Jackson Int. Arpt Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Atlanta, Georgia 30303
Saturday, March 28, 2009 13:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While on initial approach, the flight crew announced over the public address system for passengers and flight attendants to take their seats. According to one of the flight attendants, it took about 1 minute to get everything put away in the galley, then he and another attendant went to the aft jumpseat to be seated. Neither fastened their restraints. Shortly thereafter, there was a "jolt of turbulence" that lasted between 2 to 3 seconds. Both flight attendants came off the aft jumpseat and it retracted into the stowed position, and one fell onto her side and incurred injuries to her elbow, shoulder, and head. As a result of the event, the operator clarified its turbulence training and guidance to emphasize that flight attendants "must be seated with seat belts and shoulder harness secured during moderate/severe turbulence or when directed by the captain."

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The flight attendant’s failure to properly restrain herself after taking her jumpseat.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/28/2009
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Atlanta
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30303
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 333826N
Event Location Longitude 0842537W
Event Location Airport Hartsfield Jackson Int. Arpt
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ATL
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 20
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1026
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1210 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID ATL
Elevation of weather observation facility 1026
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2700
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 15
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 24
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 33
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.92
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
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 136
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 27306
NTSB Notification Source FAA Southern ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 26 2010 8:24AM
User who most recently changed record lema
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N941DL
NTSB Number ERA09LA224
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MCDONNELL DOUGLAS
Aircraft Model MD88
Aircraft Series Identifier 88
Aircraft Serial Number 49814
Certified Max Gross Weight 150500
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 3
Cabin Crew Seats 4
Passenger Seats 142
Total number of seats on the aircraft 149
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Mar 25 2009 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 53061
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Delta Air Lines Inc
Aircraft Owner Street Address Hartsfield Atlanta Intl Airport
Aircraft Owner City Atlanta
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30320
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Delta Air Lines Inc
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address Hartsfield Atlanta Intl Airport
Operator City Atlanta
Operator State GA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 30320
Operator Code DALA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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 Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) --
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ELP
Departure City El Paso
Departure State TX
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 941
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ATL
Destination City Atlanta
Destination State GA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 4 2010 11:14AM
User who most recently changed record broda
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --