Boeing 737 824 accident near Valdosta, Georgia, November 24, 2014
On November 24, 2014 at about 7:20 pm local time, a 1998 Boeing 737 824, registered N16217, was involved in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Valdosta, Georgia. It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured and 12 people had minor injuries; 146 others were unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
an inadvertent encounter with clear air turbulence while the flight attendants were returning to their seats.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 24, 2014 · about 7:20 pm local time
- Place
- Valdosta, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 12 people had minor injuries; 146 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 737 824 824, built 1998 · all 737 824s on the register
- Registration
- N16217 · registry record · serial 28777
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While in cruise at FL340 and experiencing occasional light chop, the flight crew was notified by ATC of pilot reports of moderate turbulence along their route of flight. The seatbelt sign was on and the captain advised the flight attendants (FA) to stow galley carts and be seated. The first officer subsequently made a PA announcement to advise passengers to remain seated with seatbelts fastened and for FAs to be seated immediately. Soon after this, the airplane encountered turbulence, categorized by the flight crew as severe, which resulted in altitude fluctuation ± 300 feet. The FAs were in the process of returning the meal service carts to the aft galley when the turbulence was encountered and reported that they, along with the service carts, were lifted off the floor about three times. One FA reported being thrown into the ceiling and back to the seats and floor. The lead FA advised the flight crew that some of the passengers and FAs had received minor injuries but none requested medical attention. The flight continued to ORD and landed uneventfully and emergency medical met the airplane at the gate as a precautionary measure. After returning home, one flight attendant was diagnosed with a fractured lumbar vertebra.
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 enroute (cruise) defining event
- Cabin safety event during enroute (cruise)
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: 13,100 hours in all; 6,653 in this make and model; 683 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 18, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,500 hours in all; 6,000 in this make and model; 240 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 2,500 as pilot in command; 126 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 31, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 174,200 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Cfm Intl. CFM56 SERIES (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Cfm Intl. CFM56 SERIES (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: United Air Lines INC
The flight
- Departed from: SRQ Sarasota FL
- Destination: ORD Chicago IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 1 | 2 | 1 | |
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 10 | 143 |
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.