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| Date: | Wednesday 5 August 2009 |
| Time: | 23:15 LT |
| Type: |  de Havilland Canada DHC-8-311 |
| Owner/operator: | Piedmont Airlines, opf US Airways Express |
| Registration: | N328EN |
| MSN: | 281 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1991 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 31596 hours |
| Engine model: | P&W Canada PW123 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 33 |
| Aircraft damage: | None |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Fayetteville, North Carolina -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | DSP |
| Departure airport: | Charlotte-Douglas Airport, NC (CLT/KCLT) |
| New Bern-Craven County Regional Airport, NC (EWN/KEWN) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
After leveling off at 14,000 feet mean sea level the flightcrew allowed passenger beverage service to occur. Shortly thereafter the flightcrew noticed a layer of clouds ahead and asked air traffic control (ATC) if they could climb to stay above the clouds. The controller was unable to clear the airplane to climb due to traffic above. The captain informed the flight attendant (FA) who began beverage service to put the cart away and be seated due to anticipated turbulence. The flight entered a cloud layer and was then vectored by ATC 80 degrees to the right to a navigation fix. During the turn, the first officer noticed a small cell of precipitation directly ahead of their flight path. The first officer continued the turn 30 more degrees to avoid the cell but the flight encountered about 15 seconds of moderate turbulence. The beverage cart and the flight attendant became airborne, and when she landed she sustained compound fractures of her left tibia and fibula. She alerted the captain and two passengers assisted the injured FA by securing the beverage cart. The injured FA continued to make all required safety announcements. An emergency was declared with air traffic control and the flight proceeded to the destination and landed without further event. The FA was transported to a hospital for treatment. Postaccident operational testing of the weather radar system revealed it tested satisfactory.
Probable Cause: An in-flight encounter with convective clouds resulting in moderate turbulence and serious injury to a flight attendant.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB ERA09LA444
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
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