Airbus A321 231 accident near Fort Lauderdale, Florida, December 6, 2017
On December 6, 2017 at about 3:07 am local time, a 2016 Airbus A321 231, registered N670NK, was involved in an accident during enroute (descent) near Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 100 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 convective turbulence that resulted in a flight attendant injury.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 6, 2017 · about 3:07 am local time
- Place
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 100 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Airbus A321 231 231, built 2016 · all A321 231s on the register
- Registration
- N670NK · registry record · serial 7106
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On December 6, 2017, about 2207 eastern standard time, Spirit Airlines flight NKS265, an Airbus 321-231, N670NK, encountered turbulence during approach to land at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (KFLL), Fort Lauderdale, Florida. One flight attendant received a serious injury and the airplane was not damaged. The regularly scheduled domestic passenger flight was operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 from Atlantic City International Airport (KACY), Atlantic City, New Jersey, to KFLL. According to the flight crew, the flight encounter the severe turbulence while descending through about 12,000 shortly after entering instrument meteorological conditions. There had been no reports of turbulence in the area and the seat belt sign was activated. At the time of the turbulence encounter, the flight attendants (FA) were conducting their final cabin checks when all five FAs were thrown to the floor. One FA sustained an ankle injury and remained on the floor for the remainder of the flight. After landing, all five FAs were transported to the hospital where the FA was diagnosed with a medial and posterior malleolar facture.
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 (descent) 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 sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 14,300 hours in all; 3,700 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 38 in the last 30 days; 7,300 as pilot in command; 100 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 6, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: instrument: airplane
- Last flight review: November 28, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 205,030 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Iae V2533-A5 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Iae V2533-A5 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Spirit Airlines INC
The flight
- Departed from: ACY Atlantic City NJ at 1:03 am
- Destination: Fort Lauderdale FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 1 | 1 | 3 | |
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 95 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on June 20, 2018. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Employee Statements | PDF, 6 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 N670NK 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.