Investigation brief · generated 2026-10-09 · source: NTSB public docket and accident database
EMBRAER EMB170 — Norfolk, VA, USA, 2009-07-27
NTSB number
DCA09FA068
Operator
Republic Airlines Inc.,
Registration
N135HQ
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
The captain stated that while climbing through about FL220, the flight encountered turbulence while deviating around a convective cell. According to the flight attendant (FA), the turbulence occurred after the captain had "turned off the sterile cockpit" and she was preparing the beverage service with the lead FA. Both FAs were thrown to the floor with one FA falling on top of the other. As a result, one FA suffered a broken bone in her left foot and the other received minor injuries. The operator stated that the seat belt was illuminated at the time of the turbulence.
an inadvertent encounter with convective turbulence that resulted in serious injuries to a flight attendant.
Verbatim, NTSB determination.
Flight data recorder
— 3,501 samples, 21 parameters, 18:28:20.0 to 19:26:40.0.
Parameter
Max
at
Min
at
Final
at
Pitch attitude deg
15.3
18:30:58.0
-3.9
19:19:40.0
0.7
19:26:39.0
Roll attitude deg
29.9
18:32:17.0
-26.9
18:33:59.0
0.0
19:26:39.0
Vertical acceleration g
1.4
18:41:26.0
-0.3
18:41:25.0
1.0
19:26:39.0
Engine 1 N1 %
92.8
18:41:12.0
21.6
19:21:39.0
26.2
19:26:39.0
Engine 2 N1 %
92.8
18:41:11.0
0.0
19:25:42.0
0.0
19:26:39.0
Computed from the docket's tabular attachment; times as recorded (local or SRN as published).
Sequence of events (FDR factual report)
Time
Event
Page
takeoff
Aircraft took off and climbed to approximately 23,000 ft where the event occurred
3
about 610 seconds after takeoff
Autopilot disengaged; about five seconds later the aircraft experienced rapidly changing vertical and lateral accelerations lasting approximately 25 seconds; largest vertical accelerations +1.79 g and -0.43 g, largest lateral +0.20 g and -0.18 g
3
45 seconds after disengagement
Autopilot re-engaged as the accelerations returned to normal
3
40 minutes after the event
Aircraft landed
3
Extracted by claude-fable-5-1 (in-session); 4 of 4 stated events verified against the raw recorder data.