Embraer EMB-135LR accident near Milwaukee, Wisconsin, November 30, 2010
On November 30, 2010 at about 3:35 pm local time, a Embraer EMB-135LR, registered N12530, was involved in an accident during enroute near Milwaukee, Wisconsin (General Mitchell Iap airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured and 9 people had minor injuries; 19 others were unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An in-flight encounter with turbulence during cruise flight, 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
- November 30, 2010 · about 3:35 pm local time
- Place
- Milwaukee, Wisconsin · General Mitchell Iap · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 9 people had minor injuries; 19 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Embraer EMB-135LR · all EMB-135LRs on the register
- Registration
- N12530 · no longer on the register · serial 145533
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight's dispatch package included a current significant meteorological warning for occasional severe turbulence between 14,000 and 24,000 feet mean sea level (msl). The warning indicated that turbulence was reported by other flightcrews. The flight was dispatched with a cruise altitude of 13,000 feet msl due to the turbulence. According to the operator, based on a discussion with an air traffic controller the captain then changed the flight's cruise altitude to 15,000 feet msl to avoid turbulence. The seat belt sign was illuminated during the entire flight. During the beginning of the flight attendant's service, the aircraft experienced light turbulence. Halfway through the service, the aircraft experienced moderate turbulence. The flight attendant locked the cart and took a seat. The moderate turbulence dissipated after about a minute and the flight attendant completed the service. Following the service, the flight attendant was standing by the forward wardrobe closet and was thrown up into the ceiling and back to the floor. She sustained serious injury when she broke her nose and fractured her left wrist. A seated five foot nine inch passenger was observed to have a six-inch gap between the overhead passenger service unit and the passenger's head. Three of the passenger service units sustained damage consistent with the passenger's head impacting those units. Nine passengers reported minor injuries. However, all passengers had their seat belts fastened. A review of the flight data recorder data confirmed the upset.
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
- Preflight or dispatch event during prior to flight
- Turbulence encounter during enroute defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Turbulence › (general) › Effect on personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,427 hours in all; 2,950 in this make and model; 185 in the last 90 days; 61 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: October 22, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,602 hours in all; 3,401 in this make and model; 244 in the last 90 days; 76 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: April 23, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 17,224 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, November 24, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 44,312 lb
- Seats: 37
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Rolls-Royce AE 3007A1P (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Rolls-Royce AE 3007A1P (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Chautauqua Airlines INC
The flight
- Departed from: STL St Louis MO at 3:02 pm
- Destination: MKE Milwaukee WI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 25L, 7,761 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 17 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 700 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 29.59 inHg
- Observation at 3:52 pm from MKE, 65 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 1 | |||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 9 | 17 |
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.