Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fort Dodge, Iowa 50501
Thursday, April 29, 2010 21:40 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The scheduled domestic passenger flight encountered turbulence while diverting around an area of convective activity. A flight attendant who was not seated sustained serious injuries and five others on board sustained minor injuries as a result of the turbulence encounter. Flight data recorder information showed that the airplane experienced a vertical acceleration from 0.5 and 2 g’s and an altitude change of 100 feet in each direction.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The flight crew's inadequate separation from convective activity that resulted in serious injury to an unrestrained flight attendant.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/29/2010
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 2140
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Fort Dodge
Event State IOWA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 50501
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
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 --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2155 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID FOD
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Night
Lowest Ceiling Height 500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 17
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.98
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 5
Injury Total None 172
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 6
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 27873
NTSB Notification Source American Airlines Flight Safet
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 15 2010 1:40PM
User who most recently changed record bowl
Basic weather conditions --
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N320AA
NTSB Number CEN10LA240
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 767
Aircraft Series Identifier 223
Aircraft Serial Number 22321
Certified Max Gross Weight 313000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 2
Cabin Crew Seats 9
Passenger Seats 167
Total number of seats on the aircraft 167
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 94084
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name US Bank NA Trustee
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Boston
Aircraft Owner State MA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 02110
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name American Airlines
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State --
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code AALA
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 SFO
Departure City San Francisco
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 2300
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code JFK
Destination City New York City
Destination State NY
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 2 2010 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record galm
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --