Pilot Debrief

BOEING 757 near Cuba — 2009-05-16

Final reportERA09LA418
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Date
2009-05-16
Location
Cuba, CU
Aircraft
BOEING 757
Registration
N657DL
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Serious
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Cruise

Probable cause

An unanticipated inflight encounter with turbulence.

NTSB narrative

The airplane was at flight level 350 with the autopilot engaged, and about 35 to 40 minutes from its destination, when it encountered severe turbulence. The captain had turned the seat belt light on 5 to 10 minutes before the turbulence, and the first officer had made the public address announcing that everyone needed to remain seated with their seatbelts fastened. Suddenly, the airplane encountered severe turbulence and climbed rapidly to about 500 feet above the assigned altitude; the autopilot then disengaged. The captain took control of the airplane and slowly lowered the nose. As the captain leveled the airplane, the nose pitched down and the airplane descended about 500 feet below the assigned altitude before leveling and departing the area of turbulence. At the time of the encounter, the airplane was in a layer of haze. There was no heavy precipitation noted on the radar, and no build-ups visible to the flight crew. One passenger was seriously injured, and two passengers and two flight attendants sustained minor injuries.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Environmental

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 3 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents3

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