Boeing 757 accident near Detroit, Michigan, August 5, 1995
On August 5, 1995 at about 2:48 am local time, a Boeing 757, registered N509US, was involved in an accident near Detroit, Michigan. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured; 126 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the flight's encounter with turbulence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 5, 1995 · about 2:48 am local time
- Place
- Detroit, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 126 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 757 · all 757s on the register
- Registration
- N509US · no longer on the register · serial 23198
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN CLEARED TO DESCEND FROM FL410 TO FL230. THE ATC CONTROLLER AMENDED THE CLEARANCE TO FL270 SO THE FLIGHT WOULD HAVE A BETTER 'RIDE.' SHORTLY AFTER LEVELING OFF AT FL270, 25 NM EAST OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, SUDDEN, MODERATE TURBULENCE WAS ENCOUNTERED. A PASSENGER WHO WAS EXITING THE LAVATORY AT THE TIME FELL AND WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED. THE FLIGHT CREW STATED THE WEATHER RADAR DID NOT SHOW ANY WEATHER ON THE 80 MILE SCAN. THE SEAT BELT SIGN HAD BEEN ILLUMINATED ABOUT 5 MINUTES BEFORE THE TURBULENCE ENCOUNTER AND THE CAPTAIN MADE AN ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THE PASSENGERS TO EXPECT 'BUMPS' ON THE APPROACH. THE AIRPLANE'S LAVATORIES ARE EQUIPPED WITH A PUBLIC ADDRESS SPEAKER, A FLIGHT ATTENDANT CALL BUTTON, AND A 'RETURN TO SEAT' SIGN THAT IS ILLUMINATED WHEN THE CABIN SEAT BELT SIGN IS ACTIVATED. THE COMPANY'S DISPATCH/WEATHER DEPARTMENT'S WEATHER DATA SHOWED THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN FLYING IN AN AREA OF 3/10'S COVERAGE OF LEVEL THREE AND FOUR THUNDERSTORMS.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,691 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 227,500 lb
- Seats: 195
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PW2037 (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Operator: Northwest Airlines, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: SFO San Francisco CA at 10:10 pm
- Destination: DTW MI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 pm from DTW, 60 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 6 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 120 |
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.