Investigation brief · generated 2026-10-09 · source: NTSB public docket and accident database
BOEING 757 232 — Atlanta, GA, USA, 2014-01-10
NTSB number
DCA14CA036
Operator
DELTA AIR LINES INC
Registration
N687DL
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 flight crew was anticipating light turbulence during the descent and notified the cabin and selected the fasten seatbelt sign on prior to descending from 28,000 feet. During the descent, as the flight attendants (FA) were still preparing the cabin for arrival, the turbulence increased to a level the crew categorized as moderate.
During this time, while trying to get to her seat, a FA was thrown against the 3L door and fell to the floor injuring her right ankle. The FA could not complete her duties and was assisted into the last row of seats. Another FA informed the flight crew who arranged for paramedics to meet the airplane.
The FA was transported to the hospital and diagnosed with a broken right tibia in two places.
unexpected encounter with convective turbulence while the flight attendants were preparing for arrival.
Verbatim, NTSB determination.
Flight data recorder
Boeing B757-200 · N687DL — 3,031 samples, 11 parameters, 06:19:00.0 to 07:09:30.0.
Parameter
Max
at
Min
at
Final
at
Pressure altitude ft
29,036.0
06:32:22.0
-197.0
06:19:04.0
729.0
07:09:29.0
Computed airspeed kts
321.5
06:54:53.0
0.0
06:19:00.0
192.0
07:09:29.0
Pitch attitude deg
20.0
06:20:16.0
-2.8
06:49:56.0
-0.7
07:09:29.0
Roll attitude deg
25.7
07:01:09.0
-27.8
06:20:58.0
0.7
07:09:29.0
Vertical acceleration g
1.7
06:46:39.0
0.8
06:46:52.0
1.0
07:09:29.0
Magnetic heading deg
359.6
07:01:43.0
0.0
07:01:44.0
309.0
07:09:29.0
Computed from the docket's tabular attachment; times as recorded (local or SRN as published).
Sequence of events (FDR factual report)
Time
Event
Page
06:20 EST
Aircraft took off and climbed to a cruising pressure altitude of about 29,000 ft
2
about 06:38 EST
Pressure altitude decreased to 28,000 ft about 3 minutes before the descent began
2
06:41 EST
Gradual descent began; over the next few minutes there were some perturbations in the acceleration parameters
2
06:46:33 EST
A more pronounced set of fluctuations in the acceleration parameters lasting about 10 seconds: lateral acceleration went from 0.18 g to -0.12 g within 1 second; vertical acceleration peaked at 1.67 g and dipped to 0.51 g in just over a second; slight roll excursion from about +2.5 degrees right to -6.7 degrees left (turbulence encounter in which a flight attendant was seriously injured)
3
07:06 EST
Aircraft landed at ATL
3
Extracted by claude-fable-5-1 (in-session); 3 of 5 stated events verified against the raw recorder data.