Embraer ERJ 170-10 accident near Kansas City, Missouri, December 27, 2008
On December 27, 2008 at about 5:40 am local time, a Embraer ERJ 170-10, registered N871RW, was involved in an accident during enroute (descent) near Kansas City, Missouri (Kansas City International airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured; 76 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An in-flight encounter with turbulence, which resulted in a serious injury to a flight attendant.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 27, 2008 · about 5:40 am local time
- Place
- Kansas City, Missouri · Kansas City International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 76 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Embraer ERJ 170-10 · all ERJ 170-10s on the register
- Registration
- N871RW · no longer on the register · serial 17000140
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While descending into the destination airfield, the crew deviated course to avoid thunderstorms as turbulence was expected. The flight crew warned the flight attendants and passengers of anticipated turbulence. The captain reported that the airplane then experienced "light chop with areas of moderate to sever[e] turbulence." During the encounter, a flight attendant who was in the aft galley securing a beverage cart fell on her left side and fractured her ankle.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Turbulence encounter during enroute (descent) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Turbulence › Convective turbulence › Effect on personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,749 hours in all; 101 in this make and model; 230 in the last 90 days; 99 in the last 30 days; 2,049 as pilot in command; 1,030 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 25, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,700 hours in all; 101 in this make and model; 101 in the last 30 days; 507 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 22, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 70
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: General Electrics CF34-8E5 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Ge CF34-8E5 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Republic Airline INC
The flight
- Departed from: LGA New York NY at 2:49 pm
- Destination: MCI Kansas City MO
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: not reported
- Wind: from 190° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.62 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 am from MCI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 1 | 1 | ||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 73 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.