Embraer EMB-145LR N650AE

Summary

On 28 March 2021 at about 22:00 local time, a Embraer EMB-145LR registered N650AE, operated by Piedmont Airlines, was involved in an accident near Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. 4 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

28 March 2021 at 22:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Charlotte, North Carolina, United States

Coordinates

35.2186, -80.9485

Aircraft

Embraer EMB-145LR

Registration

N650AE

Category

Airplane

Year built

2001

Engines

2

Operator

Piedmont Airlines

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Blountville → Charlotte

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

Weather

Unk

Light

Day

NTSB number

DCA21LA109

1 person was seriously injured.

an encounter with convective turbulence during descent.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

On March 28, 2021, about 1729 eastern standard time, Piedmont Airlines flight 6142, an Embraer 145 aircraft, N650AE, encountered turbulence during approach into Charlotte Douglas International Airport (KCLT), Charlotte, North Carolina. Of the 50 passengers and crew onboard, one passenger sustained serious injuries and the first officer, flight attendant, and one passenger sustained minor injuries. The airplane was not damaged. The regularly scheduled domestic passenger flight was operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 from Tri-cities Airport (KTRI), Blountville, TN. The flight crew stated they expected turbulence on arrival into KCLT, because they had flown in from KCLT on the flight prior to the accident flight. As a result, prior to pushback of the accident flight, the captain made a public address announcement that the fasten seatbelt sign would remain on and the passengers and flight attendants (FA) should remain seated for the entirety of the flight. As the flight was being vectored around severe convective activity on arrival into KCLT and approaching 12,000 feet, they encountered severe turbulence with downdrafts. The autopilot disconnected and the airplane descended below its assigned level off altitude. The first officer, who was the pilot flying, took manual control of the airplane and began climbing back to 12,000 feet. After exiting the turbulent conditions, the captain called the FA and was informed that one passenger had been injured. According to the FA, a passenger got up while the seatbelt sign was on and was in the lavatory when the turbulence was encountered. The passenger complained of back pain as she returned back to her seat after the event. Two medically qualified passengers assisted the injured passenger inflight. After landing, paramedics transported the injured passenger to the hospital where she was diagnosed with a fractured vertebrae. At the time of the flight’s arrival into KCLT, a SIGMET was active for imbedded thunderstorms and turbulence.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.