United B764 near Honolulu on Feb 14th 2015, turbulence injures 5

Last Update: June 10, 2020 / 14:28:32 GMT/Zulu time

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Incident Facts

Date of incident
Feb 14, 2015

Classification
Accident

Cause
Turbulence

Airline
United

Flight number
UA-15

Departure
Newark, United States

Destination
Honolulu, United States

Aircraft Registration
N59053

Aircraft Type
Boeing 767-400

ICAO Type Designator
B764

A United Boeing 767-400, registration N59053 performing flight UA-15 from Newark,NJ to Honolulu,HI (USA) with 239 passengers and 11 crew, was descending towards Honolulu when the aircraft encountered turbulence causing injuries to 6 cabin crew and a passenger. The aircraft continued to Honolulu for a safe landing. 4 cabin crew and the passenger were taken to a hospital, the other 2 cabin crew declined hospital care.

Haiwaii's Department of Transport reported there were 7 injuries, 6 cabin crew and a teenage girl amongst the passengers, the girl receiving head injuries, when the aircraft encountered sudden turbulence enroute to Honolulu.

At the time of arrival a storm system was battering the Hawaiian Islands.

On Feb 17th 2015 the FAA reported one flight attendant received serious injuries, 3 flight attendants received minor injuries and a passenger received injuries of unknown degree when the aircraft ancountered turbulence on descent towards Honolulu.

On Mar 28th 2015 the NTSB reported the aircraft encountered severe clear air turbulence while enroute over the Pacific Ocean enroute to Honolulu. A flight attendant received serious, three flight attendants and a passenger minor injuries.

On Jun 10th 2020 the NTSB released their final report concluding the probable cause of the accident was:

an encounter with convective turbulence associated with a forecasted area of thunderstorms.

The NTSB reported one flight attendant received a fractured arm, three other flight attendants received minor injuries, a girl amongst the passengers received a "bloody nose" but was not taken to a hospital.

The NTSB described the sequence of events:

About an hour from HNL, the captain returned early from his crew rest time because he noticed that the flight was encountering areas of moderate turbulence. Prior to entering the flight deck, the captain noticed that the flight attendants (FA) were seated in their jumpseats and advised the lead FA to not conduct the final service and remain seated. Shortly after retaking the left seat, and as the flight was passing immediately south of a line of embedded of the forecasted thunderstorms, the captain requested a descent from their cruising altitude of flight level (FL)360 to FL240. The flight crew reported they were in instrument meteorological conditions with precipitation during the descent. The weather radar was on and the seatbelt sign was illuminated. The flight encountered an area of severe turbulence for about 30 seconds as it was descending through FL254. The flight data recorder data indicate that the vertical acceleration fluctuated between about -0.17 g's and +1.62 g's, the lateral acceleration fluctuated between about -0.09 g's and +0.11 g's, and the roll fluctuated between about 5° left and 12° right.

At the time of the turbulence, the FAs were securing the galleys, preparing the cabin for landing, and distributing agriculture documents. Four flight attendants (FA) in the aft galley were thrown against the ceiling and back to the floor, injuring all four. After being notified of the serious injuries, the flight crew declared an emergency with air traffic control and arranged for medical personnel to meet the aircraft at HNL. The four flight attendants were transported to the hospital where one flight attendant was diagnosed with a fractured arm and the other three were released with minor injuries. After landing the crew were notified by a passenger that their child had suffered a bloody nose, who was treated but not transported to the hospital.



Metars Honolulu:
PHNL 150353Z 28014KT 10SM FEW034 SCT065 24/17 A2972 RMK AO2 PK WND 30029/0255 SLP064 T02390172 $
PHNL 150253Z 29015G24KT 10SM FEW033 SCT055 BKN070 26/18 A2969 RMK AO2 PK WND 29031/0222 SLP055 T02610178 53007 $
PHNL 150153Z 27015G25KT 10SM SCT030 BKN060 BKN070 26/18 A2967 RMK AO2 PK WND 29027/0114 SLP047 VCSH NE SHRA DSNT NW T02560183 $
PHNL 150053Z 27018G30KT 10SM SCT028 BKN050 BKN060 27/18 A2967 RMK AO2 PK WND 27030/0048 SLP046 VCSH NW-N-E T02670183 $
PHNL 142353Z 28014G22KT 10SM SCT021 BKN030 BKN048 24/20 A2967 RMK AO2 PK WND 26027/2331 SLP048 VCSH NW-N-E-SE 60030 T02390200 10261 20228 58009 $
PHNL 142253Z 29018G24KT 10SM SCT019 OVC044 24/22 A2969 RMK AO2 SLP052 VCSH N-NE SHRA DSNT NW T02440222 $
PHNL 142153Z 28011KT 10SM SCT025 BKN045 24/23 A2969 RMK AO2 RAE16 SLP054 VCSH NW-N-E SHRA DSNT SE-S P0000 T02390228 $
PHNL 142053Z 26012G17KT 10SM -RA FEW010 BKN032 BKN090 24/24 A2970 RMK AO2 PK WND 25033/1959 SLP057 P0026 60030 T02390239 51011 $
PHNL 142049Z 27008G19KT 6SM -RA BR FEW010 BKN031 BKN090 23/23 A2970 RMK AO2 PK WND 25033/1959 P0026 $
PHNL 142038Z 27012KT 2SM RA BR FEW009 BKN025 OVC047 23/23 A2970 RMK AO2 PK WND 25033/1959 P0025 $
PHNL 142032Z 27014G22KT 1SM +RA BR FEW005 BKN018 OVC029 23/23 A2970 RMK AO2 PK WND 25033/1959 P0023 $
PHNL 142025Z 23016G23KT 2SM RA BR FEW006 SCT012 OVC018 23/23 A2970 RMK AO2 PK WND 25033/1959 P0012 $
PHNL 142020Z 27012G23KT 3SM -RA BR FEW008 BKN016 OVC022 23/23 A2970 RMK AO2 PK WND 25033/1959 VIS 2 RWY04R P0011 $
PHNL 142018Z 27015G23KT 2SM -RA BR SCT011 BKN018 23/23 A2970 RMK AO2 PK WND 25033/1959 VIS 1 1/4 RWY04R P0011 $
PHNL 142006Z 25023G33KT 1 1/4SM RA BR SCT015 BKN031 OVC065 24/23 A2970 RMK AO2 PK WND 25033/1959 P0006 $
Aircraft Registration Data
Registration mark
N59053
Country of Registration
United States
Date of Registration
Icbeijm Aepfjgqh Subscribe to unlock
Manufacturer
BOEING
Aircraft Model / Type
767-424ER
Number of Seats
Nkn Subscribe to unlock
ICAO Aircraft Type
B764
Year of Manufacture
Kink Subscribe to unlock
Serial Number
Jengn Subscribe to unlock
Aircraft Address / Mode S Code (HEX)
Miibli Subscribe to unlock
Engine Count
Q Subscribe to unlock
Engine Manufacturer
Aj Subscribe to unlock
Engine Model
Kpfklbkqfglpc Subscribe to unlock
Engine Type
LjnelAnbh Subscribe to unlock
Pounds of Thrust
Qledc Subscribe to unlock
Main Owner
GigA g bk gimAhiphpkbgbljfbljhdhhqqimqckfdAegmmecilAkkl hkj ibmmibqqqcejgjifkljAlnebbcAlepibifkndhmfkjk Subscribe to unlock
Incident Facts

Date of incident
Feb 14, 2015

Classification
Accident

Cause
Turbulence

Airline
United

Flight number
UA-15

Departure
Newark, United States

Destination
Honolulu, United States

Aircraft Registration
N59053

Aircraft Type
Boeing 767-400

ICAO Type Designator
B764

This article is published under license from Avherald.com. © of text by Avherald.com.
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