Boeing 737 accident near New Orleans, Louisiana, June 26, 2016
On June 26, 2016 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Boeing 737, registered N69806, was involved in an accident during enroute near New Orleans, Louisiana. It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured; 177 others were unhurt. The weather was conditions the NTSB did not record.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the improper placement of the coffee pot on the beverage cart and failure to use a safe-pour lid.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 26, 2016 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- New Orleans, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 177 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Boeing 737 · all 737s on the register
- Registration
- N69806 · registry record · serial 42742
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On June 26, 2016, at about 1300 CDT, United Airlines flight 430, a Boeing 737-900ER, N69806, was about 20 minutes into the flight from New Orleans International Airport (KMSY), New Orleans, Louisiana, to Chicago O'Hare International Airport (KORD), Chicago, Illinois, when a coffee pot fell off a galley cart and spilled onto a passenger. Medical personnel were on board and treated the passenger. The flight crew declared a medical emergency and diverted to Little Rock National Airport (KLIT), Little Rock, Arkansas, where the passenger was taken to the hospital and diagnosed with second degree burns from the hot coffee. There were 6 crew and 172 passengers on board. The flight was being operated as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 scheduled passenger flight. The flight attendants (FA) stated that the beverage cart pull out trays were not pulled out for the coffee pots but instead, the metal coffee pot was placed on top of the cart in the center. In addition, the FAs stated that they could not find the safe-pour lids in their provisioning supplies so they had placed a plastic cup in the opening of the coffee pot. At the time of the spill, the cart was positioned near seat row 7, with the brakes set. One FA went to retrieve a meal cart and the other FA had turned their head when suddenly screaming was heard. The passenger got up and went to the lavatory and was subsequently examined by a doctor and a nurse. The doctor informed the crew that a diversion was advised. It could not be determined if the coffee pot tipped over or was grabbed by the young passenger causing the coffee to spill. United's flight attendant Galley Guide depicts the proper positioning of the beverage cart pull out trays and where to locate the coffee pots. Coffee pots were to be placed on the pull out trays, not in the center of the cart. In addition, the same guidance had several references throughout the document to, "Use the safe-pour lid on coffee pots anytime they are brought into the aisle."
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
- Cabin safety event during enroute defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › (general) › Cabin crew
The aircraft
- Landing gear: retractable
- Operator: United Air Lines INC
The flight
- Departed from: MSY New Orleans LA
- Destination: ORD Chicago IL
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: not reported
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 4 | |||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 171 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on July 29, 2021. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Cabin Crew Statements | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N69806 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.