Investigation brief · generated 2026-10-09 · source: NTSB public docket and accident database
EMBRAER EMB-145LR — Kansas City, MO, USA, 2011-03-26
NTSB number
CEN11LA250
Operator
AMERICAN EAGLE AIRLINES INC
Registration
N931AE
Highest injury
Serious injury
Regulation
Part 121
Damage
—
Cohort
Part 121 airline
Recorder data
Tier 1 — decoded recorder tables
Every sentence below is taken directly from NTSB records — the accident database, the docket's recorder reports and the Board's findings — with its source noted. Nothing is paraphrased or inferred.
NTSB summary
During climb to cruise flight, the flight attendant was returning to her jumpseat when the airplane encountered convectively induced turbulence associated with developing thunderstorms under the flight path. The flight attendant lost her footing and hit her head on the service galley door. While trying to find something to grab, the flight attendant fell again and injured her wrist and knee. She advised the flight crew that she would be unable to complete her duties and the flight was diverted to seek medical attention for the flight attendant. The operator subsequently confirmed that the flight attendant was seriously injured when her wrist and hand sustained fractures. The flight’s flight data recorder data showed that an upset event occurred during climb; the vertical acceleration ranged from 1.54g to 0.60g in a 1-second period.
An in-flight encounter with convectively induced turbulence associated with developing thunderstorms under the flight path during the airplane's climb to cruise flight.
Verbatim, NTSB determination.
Flight data recorder
— 4,380 samples, 22 parameters, 07:00:00.0 to 08:12:59.0.
Parameter
Max
at
Min
at
Final
at
Pressure altitude ft
37,022.5
07:39:32.0
1,022.0
08:10:31.0
1,024.5
08:12:59.0
Pitch attitude deg
14.7
07:05:26.0
-4.2
07:55:25.0
-0.4
08:12:59.0
Roll attitude deg
30.4
07:56:16.0
-29.3
08:06:38.0
0.3
08:12:59.0
Vertical acceleration g
1.4
07:29:36.0
0.7
07:29:37.0
1.0
08:12:59.0
Computed from the docket's tabular attachment; times as recorded (local or SRN as published).
Sequence of events (FDR factual report)
Time
Event
Page
about 07:05 CDT
Departed Oklahoma City
3
about 07:29:35 CDT
Upset/turbulence event in the climb through 29,900 ft pressure altitude at about N37:54:44 W93:35:23; vertical acceleration ranged from 1.54 g to 0.60 g within one second
3
after the event
Diverted to MCI where the flight attendant received medical attention
1
Extracted by claude-fable-5-1 (in-session); 3 of 3 stated events verified against the raw recorder data.