FlarePath

What happened

NTSB summary, verbatim

The airplane encountered moderate turbulence while descending for the approach into the airport and one flight attendant sustained serious injuries. The captain briefed the lead flight attendant on the expected turbulence encounter and asked that the cabin be secured early with everyone, including the flight attendants, in their seats and secured. A prearranged chime signal would notify the lead flight attendant that everyone should be in their seats. After the chime signal, everyone was seated and secured; however, a flight attendant seated in the rear of the airplane noticed that a galley upper door compartment had come open. This compartment was in line with both her head and another attendant's head, and she was concerned about objects coming out of the compartment during landing and injuring either one of them. She unfastened her restraints, got up, and secured the door. As she was returning to her seat, the airplane encountered a severe jolt, which violently slammed her into the ceiling, then the floor.

Photographs

1the aircraft, and what the investigators found

The aircraft before the accident

Probable cause

the Board's determination

The failure of an undetermined cabin crewmember to securely close an aft galley compartment door, which necessitated the injured crewmember leaving her seat to secure the compartment door.

Sequence of events

6 timed eventsfrom the FDR factual report · claude-sonnet-5

FL390 (prior to descent)descentp.1
Flight cleared to descend from FL390 to 15,000 feet by Oakland Air Route Traffic Control Center, advised to expect moderate turbulence descending into Reno airport area
Prior to reaching 15,000 feetdescentp.2
Flight handed off to Reno TRACON; controller cleared flight to 11,000 feet and advised of preceding pilot reports of moderate turbulence from 15,000 to 11,000 feet on approach
After clearance to 11,000 feetdescentp.2
Flight crew gave the prearranged chime signal
Nearing 11,000 feetdescentp.2
First officer called lead flight attendant on interphone and asked if cabin was secure; received affirmative response
Just after interphone calldescent/turbulence encounterp.2
Aircraft experienced what the crew described as a "severe jolt"
10:55 PDTdescent/approachp.1
Flight attendant called to advise of injury; medical emergency declared

NTSB analysis

from the final report

The airplane encountered moderate turbulence while descending for the approach into the airport and one flight attendant sustained serious injuries. The captain briefed the lead flight attendant on the expected turbulence encounter and asked that the cabin be secured early with everyone, including the flight attendants, in their seats and secured. A prearranged chime signal would notify the lead flight attendant that everyone should be in their seats. After the chime signal, everyone was seated and secured; however, a flight attendant seated in the rear of the airplane noticed that a galley upper door compartment had come open. This compartment was in line with both her head and another attendant's head, and she was concerned about objects coming out of the compartment during landing and injuring either one of them. She unfastened her restraints, got up, and secured the door. As she was returning to her seat, the airplane encountered a severe jolt, which violently slammed her into the ceiling, then the floor.