Airbus A321 accident near Millville, New Jersey, February 24, 2012
On February 24, 2012 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Airbus A321, registered N162UW, was involved in an accident during approach near Millville, New Jersey. It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured; 188 others were unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
an encounter with convective turbulence that resulted in injury to a passenger who was not seated when the seatbelt sign was illuminated.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 24, 2012 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Millville, New Jersey · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 188 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Airbus A321 112 · all A321s on the register
- Registration
- N162UW · registry record · serial 1412
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight encountered severe turbulence and two lightning strikes while the flight was level at 13,000 feet in instrument meteorological conditions. The seatbelt sign had been illuminated since the passing through 18,000 feet during the descent and was on at the time of the encounter. Prior to the turbulence, a passenger had ignored the seatbelt sign and entered the lavatory, unbeknownst to the flight attendants, who were preparing the cabin for landing. At the time of the turbulence encounter, the passenger was exiting the lavatory and was severely injured. Inflight turbulence and convection advisories had been forecasted for the area where the flight encountered the turbulence. There was a convective SIGMET for severe thunderstorms and for occasional turbulence between 16,000 feet and FL 280. In addition, there were several pilot reports of turbulence in the area.
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 › Convective turbulence › Effect on personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 20,127 hours in all; 5,508 in this make and model; 231 in the last 90 days; 74 in the last 30 days; 7,057 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 22, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 19,270 hours in all; 8,983 in this make and model; 223 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 461 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 13, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, February 23, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 188,900 lb
- Seats: 194
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Cfm CFM56-5B3/P (turbofan); 35,392 hours total
- Engine 2: Cfm CFM56-5B3/P (turbofan); 31,643 hours total
- Operator: U.S Airways Inc.,
The flight
- Departed from: FLL Fort Lauderdale FL at 9:32 pm
- Destination: PHL Philadelphia PA
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 360° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; ovct
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.38 inHg
- Observation at 10:40 pm from PHL, 40 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 4 | |||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 182 |
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.