Embraer E175 N204NN

Summary

On 7 August 2015 at about 07:15 local time, a Embraer E175 registered N204NN, operated by Compass Airlines LLC, was involved in an accident near South Lake Tahoe, California, United States. 66 people were on board and one was seriously injured. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 August 2015 at 07:15

Classification

Accident

Location

South Lake Tahoe, California, United States

Coordinates

38.8933, -120.0042

Aircraft

Embraer E175

Registration

N204NN

Category

Airplane

Year built

2015

Engines

2

Operator

Compass Airlines LLC

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Los Angeles → Reno

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

WPR15LA239

1 person was seriously injured.

The airplane's encounter with moderate turbulence during descent, which resulted in a serious injury to a flight attendant who was not securely seated. Contributing to the accident was the flight attendant's decision to continue to secure items before the flight crew made an announcement that it was safe to continue with the service activities.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The captain of the commercial air carrier flight reported that, during cruise flight, just before descent, he advised the cabin crew to finish the main cabin service activities and be seated for the remainder of the flight because it was expected to encounter turbulence. After completing the main cabin service, both flight attendants chose to continue securing items despite an initial encounter with turbulence because they did not feel endangered by it at the time. The turbulence stopped, and the aft flight attendant continued to secure drink containers. The airplane then encountered turbulence again, and the aft flight attendant sustained a broken ankle after being thrown in the air twice and landing hard. Several pilot reports and National Weather Service products reported moderate turbulence in the area at the time that the airplane encountered the turbulence. The company flight attendant manual states that, during moderate or occasional severe and/or severe turbulence, flight attendants are to stop all services and leave carts with the brakes engaged until turbulence is reduced and to secure themselves in the nearest available seat. The company safety programs manager stated that pilots are responsible for notifying flight attendants of turbulence ahead of time if they are aware of it. After the conditions subside, the flight crew should make a public announcement to inform the flight attendants and passengers. If the aft flight attendant had been seated as instructed by the captain and not continued to secure drinks containers, she likely would have been seated at the time that the airplane encountered the moderate turbulence and not been injured. The aft flight attendant could have continued securing drink containers after the flight crew reported that the flight was clear of the turbulence and announced that it was safe to do so.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.