Boeing 737-832 accident near Detroit, Michigan, February 19, 2012
On February 19, 2012 at about 1:00 am local time, a Boeing 737-832, registered N374DA, was involved in an accident during approach near Detroit, Michigan. It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries; 132 others were unhurt.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An in-flight encounter with forecasted turbulence, which resulted in a serious injury to a flight attendant. Contributing to the accident was the flight attendant not being seated with her seatbelt fastened when the encounter occurred.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 19, 2012 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Detroit, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries; 132 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Boeing 737-832 · all 737-832s on the register
- Registration
- N374DA · registry record · serial 29622
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight crew received a preflight weather report as well as updated weather information while en route that advised them of expected turbulence near their destination airport. The National Weather Service issued multiple in-flight weather advisories current for the destination area including a significant meteorological advisory for occasional severe turbulence between 22,000 and 30,000 feet. As a result, the flight crew advised the cabin crew that service would have to be completed prior to entering the area of expected turbulence. As the flight approached its destination, the flight crew made an announcement for passengers and cabin crew to remain seated and make sure their seatbelts were fastened. The flight encountered severe turbulence while descending through 29,000 feet mean sea level, and one flight attendant, who did not have her seatbelt fastened, received serious injuries, and two flight attendants and one passenger, who also did not have their seatbelts fastened, received minor injuries. According to the flight data recorder data (FDR), during the event, the maximum vertical acceleration was + 1.568 Gs and the minimum was -0.30 Gs over a time period of 0.625 seconds; these vertical accelerations are considered severe, per International Civil Aviation Organization standards. The accident site was located within the area of moderate to severe turbulence potential.
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 approach defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Turbulence › Clear air turbulence › Contributed to outcome
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Communication (personnel) › Following instructions › Cabin crew
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Equipment/furnishings › Passenger compartment equip › Not used/operated
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 16,205 hours in all; 14,620 in this make and model; 212 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: October 8, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,627 hours in all; 2,195 in this make and model; 130 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: October 6, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 38,815 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, February 12, 2012
- Seats: 189
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cfm Intl. CFM56 SERIES (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Cfm Intl. CFM56 SERIES (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Delta Air Lines INC
The flight
- Departed from: LAX Los Angeles CA
- Destination: DTW Detroit MI
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 1 | 2 | 1 | |
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 129 |
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.