Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Detroit, Michigan
Saturday, February 18, 2012 19:00 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The flight crew received a preflight weather report as well as updated weather information while en route that advised them of expected turbulence near their destination airport. The National Weather Service issued multiple in-flight weather advisories current for the destination area including a significant meteorological advisory for occasional severe turbulence between 22,000 and 30,000 feet. As a result, the flight crew advised the cabin crew that service would have to be completed prior to entering the area of expected turbulence. As the flight approached its destination, the flight crew made an announcement for passengers and cabin crew to remain seated and make sure their seatbelts were fastened. The flight encountered severe turbulence while descending through 29,000 feet mean sea level, and one flight attendant, who did not have her seatbelt fastened, received serious injuries, and two flight attendants and one passenger, who also did not have their seatbelts fastened, received minor injuries. According to the flight data recorder data (FDR), during the event, the maximum vertical acceleration was + 1.568 Gs and the minimum was -0.30 Gs over a time period of 0.625 seconds; these vertical accelerations are considered severe, per International Civil Aviation Organization standards. The accident site was located within the area of moderate to severe turbulence potential.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

An in-flight encounter with forecasted turbulence, which resulted in a serious injury to a flight attendant. Contributing to the accident was the flight attendant not being seated with her seatbelt fastened when the encounter occurred.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/18/2012
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1900
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City Detroit
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site --
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 2
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
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions --
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 3
Injury Total None 132
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 30904
NTSB Notification Source FAA ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 26 2013 9:22AM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions --
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N374DA
NTSB Number CEN12LA166
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 737-832
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 29622
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 189
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Feb 12 2012 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 38815
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name DELTA AIR LINES INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address HARTSFIELD ATLANTA INTL ARPT
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 ARPT
Operator City ATLANTA
Operator State GA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 30320
Operator Code DALA
Owner has at least one certificate None
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 LAX
Departure City Los Angeles
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code DTW
Destination City Detroit
Destination State MI
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 26 2012 1:53PM
User who most recently changed record hatc
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 --