Summary
On May 23, 2015, a Airbus Industrie A320 212 (N334NW) was involved in an accident near Atlanta, GA. The accident resulted in 1 serious injury, with 146 people uninjured out of 147 aboard.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: The flight attendant's failure to secure her lap belt and shoulder harness prior to the takeoff that resulted in her being thrown from her jumpseat shortly after takeoff.
After completing her pre-takeoff safety check of the cabin, the flight attendant (FA) sat down in the jumpseat but reported that her lap buckle was stuck under the seat bottom and so was unable to secure her harness during the takeoff roll. After takeoff and in the initial climb, the FA stood up to release the buckle from the seat bottom and then before she was able to buckle her seatbelt, was thrown from her seat onto the galley floor injuring her side. The FA was assisted back to her seat and was unable to complete her duties. The flight returned to the departure airport where emergency medical technicians met the plane. The injured FA was transported to the hospital and diagnosed with two fractured ribs.
This accident is documented in NTSB report DCA15CA125. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N334NW.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
the flight attendant's failure to secure her lap belt and shoulder harness prior to the takeoff that resulted in her being thrown from her jumpseat shortly after takeoff.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
After completing her pre-takeoff safety check of the cabin, the flight attendant (FA) sat down in the jumpseat but reported that her lap buckle was stuck under the seat bottom and so was unable to secure her harness during the takeoff roll. After takeoff and in the initial climb, the FA stood up to release the buckle from the seat bottom and then before she was able to buckle her seatbelt, was thrown from her seat onto the galley floor injuring her side. The FA was assisted back to her seat and was unable to complete her duties. The flight returned to the departure airport where emergency medical technicians met the plane. The injured FA was transported to the hospital and diagnosed with two fractured ribs.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# DCA15CA125