Airbus A320 accident near Las Vegas, Nevada, December 1, 2018
On December 1, 2018 at about 2:07 am local time, a 2014 Airbus A320, registered N632NK, was involved in an accident during enroute (descent) near Las Vegas, Nevada. It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured; 162 others were unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The airplane’s encounter with severe turbulence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 1, 2018 · about 2:07 am local time
- Place
- Las Vegas, Nevada · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 162 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Airbus A320 232, built 2014 · all A320s on the register
- Registration
- N632NK · no longer on the register · serial 6331
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On December 1, 2018, about 1804 Pacific standard time, Spirit Airlines flight 1069, an Airbus A320-232, N632NK, encountered turbulence during initial descent into Las Vegas McCarran International Airport (KLAS), Las Vegas, Nevada. Of the 163 passengers and crew onboard, one flight attendant was seriously injured. The airplane was not damaged. The regularly scheduled international passenger flight was operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 from Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (KCLE) to KLAS. The captain was the pilot flying, and the first officer was the pilot monitoring. According to the flight crew, there was reports of moderate turbulence during the initial descent. During the decent, the flight passed through stratiform cloud layers experiencing continuous light and occasional moderate chop, but no precipitation was depicted on the weather radar. At about flight level (FL) 260, the first officer turned on the seatbelt sign and contacted the lead flight attendant (FA) to have all the FAs take their seats. As the airplane descended through about FL230, the flight experienced moderate turbulence which lasted for about 15-20 seconds. Shortly thereafter, the flight crew received a call from the lead FA that a FA had broken her ankle. At the time of the turbulence encounter, the FAs were preparing the cabin for landing. Two FAs were in the aft galley and were thrown into the air and onto the floor. One FA severely injured her left ankle and was subsequently helped into an aft passenger seat, where she remained for landing. After landing, emergency medical personnel met the flight at the gate and transported the injured FA to the hospital where she was diagnosed with a fractured left fibula.
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
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Turbulence › Convective turbulence › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,000 hours in all; 6,579 in this make and model
- Last flight review: May 27, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,980 hours in all; 820 in this make and model
- Last flight review: March 5, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 169,756 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Iae V2527-A5 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Iae V2527-A5 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Spirit Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: CLE Cleveland OH at 10:10 pm
- Destination: Las Vegas NV
- 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 | 3 | ||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 157 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on February 25, 2022. 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 | Crew Statements | PDF, 4 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.