Boeing 767-3P6 N156DL

Summary

On 5 October 2009 at about 23:44 local time, a Boeing 767-3P6 registered N156DL, operated by Delta Air Lines Inc, was involved in an accident near Unknown, Argentina. 232 people were on board and one was seriously injured. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

5 October 2009 at 23:44

Classification

Accident

Location

Unknown, Argentina

Coordinates

-34.6261, -52.6394

Aircraft

Boeing 767-3P6

Registration

N156DL

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Delta Air Lines Inc

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Buenos Aires → Atlanta

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA10CA022

1 person was seriously injured.

An inadvertent encounter with turbulence, which resulted in an injury to a flight cabin attendant.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

During the cruise portion of a scheduled international passenger flight, a flight attendant incurred serious injury while trying to stow a beverage cart during an encounter with turbulence. The flight attendant stated, "…the cart as it often does, went to the side and not forward as I was trying to put it in its secured position. Unknown to me, when the cart went on [its] own route to the side and not forward it must have caused a whip lash." The flight attendant continued with her duties for the remainder of the flight, and sought medical attention after the flight landed at its scheduled destination. The flight attendant's injuries consisted of two fractured ribs. According to statements provided by the cockpit crew, they were unaware that anyone had been injured until several days after the conclusion of the flight. None recalled encountering any significant turbulence during the flight. Seven other flight attendants also provided written statements. Five of the flight attendants did not recall anything abnormal about the flight, one recalled encountering a "patch of rough air," and one recalled encountering an unexpected area of "severe turbulence." Due to the Safety Board's late notification of the event, flight data recorder information pertaining to the accident flight was not available. The exact time and location that the event took place could not be determined.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.