Boeing 767-232 accident near Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, July 11, 2005
On July 11, 2005 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Boeing 767-232, registered N113DA, was involved in an accident near Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina. It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured; 186 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An inadvertent in-flight encounter with clear air turbulence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 11, 2005 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 186 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 767-232 · all 767-232s on the register
- Registration
- N113DA · registry record · serial 22225
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The captain stated that after takeoff he waited until FL370, and well past the line of weather, to turn off the seat belt light. The flight was smooth for about 10 to 15 minutes, and they transited in and out of cirrus clouds, with the weather radar being used to scan from the 160 to 40 mile range, and with no weather being noted. As the flight progressed he said they encountered moderate turbulence for about 10 to 15 seconds, and he immediately made an announcement for the flight attendants and passengers to sit. Shortly thereafter the captain said he was informed that a flight attendant had been injured. The first officer stated that as the flight climbed they easily transited between two cells, entered clear skies, and was in smooth air. The seat belt sign had been turned off, and the captain continued searching the area with the weather radar. The first officer said that although there were some intermittent high cirrus clouds, there was no weather that would pose problems along the route of flight. About 10 to15 minutes after level-off, the first officer said the airplane hit what he would call severe turbulence, and both he and the captain were tossed about in their seats. They were initially unable to either grab the flight controls, or turn on the seat belt sign, and after the initial big bump, the first officer said "he grabbed the controls (it was my leg), and followed through with the thrust levers and yoke." According to the first officer, as soon as able the captain turned on the seat belt sign, made the announcement for everyone to sit down, and they soon heard a flight attendant make an announcement asking for a doctor. All flight attendants provided statements that were consistent, affirming that there had been turbulence, and that the seat belt sign was not lit during the turbulence prior to the accident. The NTSB conducted studies of airplane's DFDR, as well a study of the weather around the time of the accident. Examination of the DFDR revealed information affirming that the autopilot had been engaged, and consistent with there having been an encounter with turbulence. The weather study examined many weather products and provided data consistent with there being convectively induced turbulence in the vicinity of strong to severe 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: 9,080 hours in all; 141 in the last 90 days; 71 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: September 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Crew member
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,410 hours in all; 117 in the last 90 days; 81 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: November 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 68,537 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, July 1, 2005
- Maximum gross weight: 300,000 lb
- Seats: 204
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: General Electric CFA-80A2 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: General Electric CFA-80A2 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ATL Atlanta GA at 10:29 pm
- Destination: LGA New York NY
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 130° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 18,000 ft; scat at 3,600 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 11:17 pm from CLT, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 7 | ||
| Passengers | 179 |
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.