Investigation brief · generated 2026-10-09 · source: NTSB public docket and accident database
BOEING 737 724 — Port Arthur, TX, USA, 2016-03-15
NTSB number
DCA16CA181
Operator
United Airlines
Registration
N23708
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
On March 14, 2016, 2156 central daylight time, United Airlines flight 898,a Boeing 737-724, N23708, encountered turbulence during cruise that resulted in one flight attendant sustaining a serious injury near Port Arthur, Texas. There were no injuries to the other passengers and crew aboard and the airplane was not damaged. The flight was operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 as a regularly scheduled passenger flight from the George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), Houston, Texas to the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY), New Orleans, Louisiana.
According to flight crew statements, the captain was the flying pilot and the first officer (FO) was the pilot monitoring. The airplane was level at flight level (FL) 270, with the autopilot off, in clear air with no convective activity in the vicinity. Immediately before before beginning the descent into IAH, the flight encountered a momentary pocket of moderate to severe turbulence with the airplane banking approximately 25 – 30 degrees to the right, and the altitude fluctuating from 100 feet up to 60 - 160 feet down. The flight crew did not recall seeing anything on the onboard weather radar or TCAS (traffic collision avoidance system). The captain immediately turned on the seat belt sign and made an announcement on the public address for the passengers to fasten their seat belts. Shortly after, the flight crew were informed that a flight attendant FA was injured. The captain called the cabin and was informed that one of the FAs was severely injured. The flight crew declared a medical emergency and arranged for paramedics to meet the flight at the gate. The FA was transported to a local hospital and diagnosed with serious injuries.
According to a weather analysis conducted by United Airlines, satellite imagery indicated no significant cloud features over the route of flight, with the moisture channel imagery indicating moisture channel darkening or drier air in the middle tropospheric levels across the northern half of Texas and southern Los Angeles with increasing moisture further to the south with the stronger jet stream winds. A review of pilot reports (PIREPs) across the region leading up to the turbulence only indicated light turbulence being encountered. Consequently, The Weather Company forecasts only called for light turbulence for the route. However, several Aircraft Meteorological Data and Reporting (AMDAR) automated reports across the region indicated that winds were stronger than predicted at higher levels and indicated a strong vertical wind shear at higher levels than originally forecast.
an inadvertent encounter with clear air turbulence.
Verbatim, NTSB determination.
Flight data recorder
Boeing 737-700 · N23708 — 167,462 samples, 26 parameters, 21:35:00.0 to 22:20:00.9.
Parameter
Max
at
Min
at
Final
at
Pressure altitude ft
27,030.0
21:56:48.7
-78.0
22:18:11.7
23.0
22:20:00.7
Computed airspeed kts
338.2
22:08:44.7
45.0
21:35:00.7
45.0
22:20:00.7
Vertical acceleration g
1.6
21:56:51.8
-0.5
21:56:50.9
1.0
22:20:00.9
Engine 1 N1 %RPM
97.4
21:45:54.4
19.1
22:18:32.4
20.2
22:20:00.4
Engine 2 N1 %RPM
97.4
21:48:38.9
18.9
22:18:31.9
19.9
22:20:00.9
Computed from the docket's tabular attachment; times as recorded (local or SRN as published).
Sequence of events (FDR factual report)
Time
Event
Page
21:50:00 CDT
Aircraft position at start of turbulence encounter overlay, at pressure altitude of 26,987 ft
2
21:56:45 CDT
While leveled at approximately 27,000 ft with autopilot command B not selected, vertical acceleration variations began, ranging between 1.58 g's and -0.52 g's before settling to about 1 g; roll angle increased to 11.6 degrees right wing down then rapidly reversed to 2.81 degrees left wing down before returning to level
3
21:56:55 CDT
End of vertical acceleration variations noted (10 seconds after onset)
3
21:57:14 CDT
Aircraft began its descent from 27,000 ft, approximately 29 seconds after the start of the vertical acceleration variations
3
21:58:55 CDT
Aircraft leveled at 24,000 ft
3
22:02:10 CDT
Aircraft position at end of turbulence encounter overlay, at pressure altitude of 24,000 ft
2
22:18:06 CDT
Aircraft landed, approximately 19 minutes after leveling at 24,000 ft
3
Extracted by claude-sonnet-5; 1 of 7 stated events verified against the raw recorder data.