Boeing 757 accident near Newark, New Jersey, September 24, 2018
On September 24, 2018 at about 1:45 am local time, a 1995 Boeing 757, registered N13113, was involved in an accident during prior to flight near Newark, New Jersey (Newark Liberty Intl airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured; 176 others were unhurt. The weather was conditions the NTSB did not record.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the catering cart striking the flight attendant's foot.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 24, 2018 · about 1:45 am local time
- Place
- Newark, New Jersey · Newark Liberty Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 176 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Boeing 757 224, built 1995 · all 757s on the register
- Registration
- N13113 · registry record · serial 27555
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On September 23, 2018, at about 2145 EDT, United flight 138, Boeing B757-224, N13113, was in the process of boarding at Newark International Airport (EWR), Newark, New Jersey when a flight attendant was struck by a catering cart. Of the 177 passengers and crew who were scheduled to be onboard, one flight attendant was seriously injured. The flight was scheduled as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 international passenger flight from EWR to Reykjavik-Keflavak International Airport (KEF), Keflavak, Iceland. During the initial boarding process, the resupplying of the catering was still ongoing. As the caterer personnel was quickly pushing a catering cart throught the aisle the flight attendant's foot was struck by the cart as it passed by. The flight attendant was injured, but thought his foot was only bruised, so he remained onboard to work the flight. During the flight, the flight attendant's foot became more painful, which required him to elevate his foot for short periods of time. After arrival at KEF, the injured flight attendant went to a local hospital and was diagnosed with a fractured heel.
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 prior to flight defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › (general) › Ground crew
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,140 hours in all; 9,838 in this make and model; 174 in the last 90 days; 33 in the last 30 days; 931 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 9, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Flight time: 1,103 hours in all; 1,103 in this make and model; 202 in the last 90 days; 57 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: March 20, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 248,020 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Rolls-Royce RB.211 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Rolls-Royce RB.211 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: United Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: EWR Newark NJ at 2:30 am
- Destination: BIKF Reykjavik
- 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 | 1 | 5 | ||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 169 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on October 9, 2020. 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 | Captain's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | First Officer Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Flight Attendant Statements | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.