Embraer ERJ190 accident near Disputanta, Virginia, December 18, 2019
On December 18, 2019 at about 4:09 pm local time, a 2008 Embraer ERJ190, registered N959UW, was involved in an accident during enroute near Disputanta, Virginia. It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured; 47 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
an encounter with clear air turbulence during cruise flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 18, 2019 · about 4:09 pm local time
- Place
- Disputanta, Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 47 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Embraer ERJ190 100IGW, built 2008 · all ERJ190s on the register
- Registration
- N959UW · no longer on the register · serial 19000166
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On December 18, 2019, at about 1109 EST, American Airlines flight 2247, an Embraer ERJ190, N959UW, encountered turbulence while enroute to Raleigh-Durham International Airport (KRDU), Morrisville, North Carolina. Of the 48 passengers and crew onboard, one flight attendant received a serious injury. The flight was operating under 14 Code of Federal Regulation Part 121 as a regularly scheduled domestic passenger flight from LaGuardia Airport (KLGA), Queens, New York, to KRDU. According to the flight crew, the flight was in cruise at flight level (FL) 200 with the seatbelt sign off because air traffic control had reported all pilot reports (PIREPs) as "smooth" and "no complaints". About one hour into the flight, they encountered a brief duration of "light to moderate chop" and illuminated the seatbelt sign. The flight crew requested a descent to FL180. The seatbelt sign was extinguished after the flight reached FL180 since the skies were clear, they were experiencing a smooth ride, and there were no pilot reports of turbulence. A short time later, the flight encountered "light to moderate chop" turbulence that lasted 20 seconds to a minute. The flight crew then received a call from the cabin advising them that a flight attendant (FA) had been injured. At the time of the second turbulence event, the FAs were conducting drink service in the cabin and the FA in the aft cabin was thrown to the floor, injuring her foot. One nonrevenue crew member described the turbulence encountered as “moderate to severe”. The injured FA was transferred to a passenger seat for the remainder of the flight. Upon being notified of the injury, the flight crew declared a medical emergency and request paramedics meet the flight at the gate. After landing the FA was transported to a local hospital where she was diagnosed with a fractured foot. Post accident examination of the weather data determined that the airplane was passing through the lower boundary of a strong jet stream that was associated with significant shear. Moderate turbulence had been forecasted for the area of the encounter and there were no previous PIREPs of severe turbulence.
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 defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Turbulence › Clear air turbulence › Effect on personnel
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 27,232 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, November 4, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 114,500 lb
- Seats: 105
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: General Electric CF34-10E6 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: General Electric CF34-10E6 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: American Airlines Inc
The flight
- Departed from: LGA/ Queens NY at 3:17 pm
- Destination: RDU/ Morrisville NC
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 1 | 1 | ||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 44 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
22 documents, released by the NTSB on July 13, 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.
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.