Accident Embraer EMB-145LR N650AE,
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Date:Sunday 28 March 2021
Time:18:00 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic E145 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Embraer EMB-145LR
Owner/operator:Piedmont Airlines
Registration: N650AE
MSN: 145417
Year of manufacture:2001
Engine model:Allison AE 3007A
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4
Aircraft damage: None
Category:Accident
Location:Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, NC (CLT/KCLT) -   United States of America
Phase: En route
Nature:Passenger - Scheduled
Departure airport:Bristol, VA/Johnson City/Kingsport-Tri-Cities Regional, TN (TRI/KTRI)
Destination airport:Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, NC (CLT/KCLT)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
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.

Probable Cause: an encounter with convective turbulence during descent.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: DCA21LA109
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 9 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB DCA21LA109

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
04-Jun-2022 06:53 ASN Update Bot Added

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