US Airways B752 enroute on Apr 29th 2014, severe turbulence injures 6

Last Update: March 11, 2015 / 16:01:43 GMT/Zulu time

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Photo of US Airways N936UW, Boeing 757-200 — US Airways N936UW, Boeing 757-200 (Photo credit: James Willamor / Flickr / License: CC by-sa)

Incident Facts

Date of incident
Apr 29, 2014

Classification
Accident

Airline
US Airways

Flight number
US-815

Departure
Cancun, Mexico

Destination
Philadelphia, United States

Aircraft Registration
N936UW

Aircraft Type
Boeing 757-200

ICAO Type Designator
B752

A US Airways Boeing 757-200, registration N936UW performing flight US-815 from Cancun (Mexico) to Philadelphia,PA (USA), was enroute at FL390 about 40nm southwest of Richmond,VA (USA) when the aircraft encountered severe turbulence causing injuries to two flight attendants and 4 passengers. The aircraft descended to FL310 and continued to Philadelphia for a safe landing.

The FAA reported besides the injuries to the occupants the aircraft sustained minor damage as result of the turbulence encounter.

The accident aircraft remained on the ground in Philadelphia for 24 hours before resuming service.

On Sep 19th 2014 the NTSB reported that all 4 flight attendants and a number of passenger required medical attention after landing, none of the injuries being serious. Two flight attendants remained off duty for three weeks as result however. The aircraft sustained damage due to hail, it's radome needed to be replaced.

The aircraft had been cleared to descend from FL390 to FL350 and to cross waypoint SHONA at FL310. While acknowledging the clearance to cross SHONA at FL310 the pilot interrupted: "SHONA at 310, Cactus 8 uh 15, we're in ... we're in severe turbulence". At that point the aircraft was descending between FL370 and FL360, the turbulence encounter lasted for about 10 seconds. When ATC inquired whether the crew needed any further assistance the pilot replied: "We just need to catch our breath here."

In about the same time another flight, JIA-4678, was climbing from FL270 to FL330 in the area, the crew heard the exchange with US-815. ATC offered them to deviate around weather reporting the severe turbulence encounter by US-815 had been about 50nm in their 12 o'clock position. About 8 minutes later, just after the controller had asked how the ride had been through the weather reported to be smooth by the crew, the crew of JIA-4678 reported severe turbulence too requesting to level at present FL320 and being cleared "... do what you need to get out of it".

The NTSB reported that the controller subsequently filed two severe turbulence incident reports.

The NTSB stated with respect to the controller at the R16 position handling both aircraft: "During the approximately 1 3/4 hour session on the R16 position, no compliance with FAA order 7110.65, "Air Traffic Control", paragraph 2-6-4, "Weather and Chaff Services," was noted, although there were clearly areas of precipitation present in the sector as evidenced by review of recorded WARP/NEXRAD data, comments about weather made by the controller to several pilots, and numerous pilot requests for weather deviations. According to information provided by the facility support manager for quality control, ZDC had no program for live monitoring of weather services to ensure that displayed precipitation information was being provided to flight crews as required."

On Mar 11th 2015 the NTSB released their final report concluding the probable cause of the accident was:

The air traffic controller’s failure to provide required advisories about significant radar-observed convective precipitation along both airplanes’ flight routes and the air route traffic control center’s lack of a program to ensure that air traffic controllers provide this required information to pilots, which led to both airplanes encountering severe turbulence. Contributing to the airplanes’ encounters with severe turbulence was the flight crews’ failure to detect the precipitation using on-board radar and request deviations, as necessary, to avoid the hazard.