Boeing 737-832 N374DA

Summary

On 19 February 2012 at about 01:00 local time, a Boeing 737-832 registered N374DA, operated by Delta Air Lines Inc, was involved in an accident near Detroit, Michigan, United States. 136 people were on board and one was seriously injured, 3 had minor injuries. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

19 February 2012 at 01:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Detroit, Michigan, United States

Coordinates

42.3508, -83.0598

Aircraft

Boeing 737-832

Registration

N374DA

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Delta Air Lines Inc

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Los Angeles → Detroit

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

NTSB number

CEN12LA166

1 person was seriously injured.

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.