United Airlines B744 near Beijing on Jul 29th 2011, turbulence injures 5 flight attendants
Last Update: January 16, 2013 / 13:37:39 GMT/Zulu time
Incident Facts
Date of incident
Jul 29, 2011
Classification
Accident
Cause
Turbulence
Airline
United
Flight number
UA-888
Departure
Beijing, China
Destination
San Francisco, United States
Aircraft Registration
N173UA
Aircraft Type
Boeing 747-400
ICAO Type Designator
B744
The FAA reported one flight attendant received unknown injuries during climb out.
The NTSB reported on Nov 24th 2011, that the one flight attendant received a broken leg when the aircraft encountered turbulence while climbing through FL230. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) have delegated the investigation to the NTSB.
On Jan 4th 2013 the NTSB released their factual report reporting the aircraft was climbing through FL230 out of Beijing near Tangshan at position N39.3308 E118.2716, when the aircraft encountered turbulence causing peak accelerations of more than 2G over a period of 20 seconds. The captain (59, ATPL, 18,500 hours total, 7,600 hours on type) reported there had been no returns on the weather radar, a small amount of rain and clouds were in the area. She stated that the fasten seat belt signs were kept illuminated when between 22,000 and 24,000 feet the aircraft encountered severe turbulence, she retarded the throttles to prevent an overspeed. After the turbulence subsided she engaged autothrottle and autopilot again and advised ATC. The NTSB reported that no communication pertinent to turbulence or injury was recorded by China's ground stations.
The flight crew further comprised the first officer (62, ATPL, 10,212 hours total, 8,557 hours on type) and two relief pilots, all four flight crew were seated in the cockpit at the time of the occurrence.
The flight attendant at door 5L received serious injuries, diagnosed on board by a doctor with a possibly broken fibula, the flight attendant thought she had a severely sprained ankle but was insistent to continue the flight to the US. The doctor also did not see a need to recommend an immediate diversion. The flight attendant was thus moved to a business class seat where the doctor applied a make-shift splint.
Four other flight attendants received minor injuries from falls and impacts with galley equipment but were able to continue duties.
A post flight severe turbulence inspection showed no damage.
A large cold front stretched from eastern Mongolia via central Mongolia into China's Shanxi province. Several embedded convective groups were identified ahead and along the front, Beijing and east of Beijing were covered with convective cloud groups. Strong thunderstorms were present 86nm east of Beijing. The air masses east of Beijing were generally instable. SIGMETs warned of embedded thunderstorms obscured with tops up to 33,000 feet south, southwest and northeast of Beijing moving northeast. The weather charts did not predict convective activity over the accident site however.
On Jan 16th 2013 the NTSB released their final report concluding the probable cause of the accident was:
an inadvertent encounter with convectively induced turbulence likely due to radar limitations and convective weather developing upwards into the flight path.
Aircraft Registration Data
Incident Facts
Date of incident
Jul 29, 2011
Classification
Accident
Cause
Turbulence
Airline
United
Flight number
UA-888
Departure
Beijing, China
Destination
San Francisco, United States
Aircraft Registration
N173UA
Aircraft Type
Boeing 747-400
ICAO Type Designator
B744
This article is published under license from Avherald.com. © of text by Avherald.com.
Article source
You can read 2 more free articles without a subscription.
Subscribe now and continue reading without any limits!
Read unlimited articles and receive our daily update briefing. Gain better insights into what is happening in commercial aviation safety.
Send tip
Support AeroInside by sending a small tip amount.
Related articles
Fleet type match
United Airlines B744 over Alaska on Feb 19th 2010, turbulence injures 25
A United Airlines Boeing 747-400, registration N173UA performing flight UA-897 from Washington Dulles,DC (USA) to Tokyo Narita (Japan) with 243…
Fleet type match
United B763 near Providence on Apr 22nd 2024, suspected fuel leak
A United Boeing 767-300, registration N644UA performing flight UA-108 from Washington Dulles,DC (USA) to Munich (Germany), was enroute at FL330 about…
Fleet type match
United B789 near San Francisco on Apr 19th 2024, cargo smoke indication
A United Boeing 787-9, registration N15969 performing flight UA-801 from Los Angeles,CA (USA) to Hong Kong (China), was enroute at FL340 about 30nm…
Fleet type match
United B753 enroute on Apr 10th 2024, Rockies' coach in captain's seat
A United Boeing 757-300, registration N73860 performing charter flight UA-3779 from Denver,CO (USA) to Toronto,ON (Canada) with the Colorado Rockies…
Fleet type match
United B738 at Las Vegas on Apr 10th 2024, dropped panel in flight
A United Boeing 737-800, registration N24224 performing flight UA-1960 from Los Angeles,CA to Las Vegas,NV (USA), concluded a seemingly uneventful…
Fleet type match
United B772 at Rome on Apr 5th 2024, engine compressor stall
A United Boeing 777-200, registration N209UA performing flight UA-885 from Rome Fiumicino (Italy) to Washington Dulles,DC (USA), was climbing through…
Newest articles
Red Air MD82 at Miami on Jun 21st 2022, runway excursion causes gear collapse on landing
A Red Air Dominicana McDonnell Douglas MD-82, registration HI1064 performing flight L5-203 from Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) to Miami,FL (USA)…
Fleet type match
Southwest B737 near Dallas on Apr 25th 2024, engine shut down in flight
A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-700, registration N793SA performing flight WN-4195 from Denver,CO to San Antonio,TX (USA), was enroute at FL410 about…
Subscribe today
Are you researching aviation incidents? Get access to AeroInside Insights, unlimited read access and receive the daily newsletter.
Pick your plan and subscribePartner
A new way to document and demonstrate airworthiness compliance and aircraft value. Find out more.
ELITE Simulation Solutions is a leading global provider of Flight Simulation Training Devices, IFR training software as well as flight controls and related services. Find out more.
Your regulation partner, specialists in aviation safety and compliance; providing training, auditing, and consultancy services. Find out more.
AeroInside Blog
Popular aircraft
Airbus A320Boeing 737-800
Boeing 737-800 MAX
Popular airlines
American AirlinesUnited
Delta
Air Canada
Lufthansa
British Airways