Airbus Industrie A320-232 accident near Houston, Texas, December 23, 2020
On December 23, 2020 at about 6:30 pm local time, a 2000 Airbus Industrie A320-232, registered N463UA, was involved in an accident during approach near Houston, Texas. It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured; 139 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
an encounter with forecasted convective turbulence during approach.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 23, 2020 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Houston, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 139 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Airbus Industrie A320-232, built 2000 · all A320-232s on the register
- Registration
- N463UA · registry record · serial 1282
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On December 23, 2020, about 1230 central standard time, United Airlines flight 1481, an Airbus A320-232, N463UA, encountered turbulence during approach into George Bush International Airport (KIAH), Houston, Texas. Of the 140 passengers and crew onboard, one flight attendant sustained serious injuries. 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 John Wayne Airport (KSNA), Orange County, California, to KIAH. According to the flight crew, while reviewing the preflight weather, they noted rain showers and thunderstorms in the vicinity of KIAH for their arrival time. As the flight descended into KIAH, the flight crew observed numerous cumulous clouds in the area and between 12,000 and 10,000 feet, the captain “double chimed” the cabin (indicating that the cabin should be secured early) and made a public address (PA) announcement, stating “flight attendants take your jumpseats.” Shortly thereafter, the aircraft penetrated a towering cumulous cloud. At the time the PA announcement was made, the flight attendants (FA) were conducting their before landing cabin checks. When the turbulence was encountered, the lead FA was secured in her jumpseat, but the two other FAs had just reached the aft galley and were about to sit down. One of the aft FAs was thrown to floor resulting in severe pain and numbness down both legs. The uninjured FA assisted her buckling into the jumpseat where she remained for the rest of the flight. Paramedics met the airplane at the gate and transported the injured FA to the hospital where she was diagnosed with a fractured pelvis. Post accident review of the weather indicated an area of convective turbulence from a developing area of thunderstorms immediately south and directly downwind of the flight track about the time the injury occurred.
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 approach defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Turbulence › Convective turbulence › Effect on personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, flight engineer, military, private, recreational
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 21,956 hours in all; 8,339 in this make and model; 39 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 3,963 as pilot in command; 1,067 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 16, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, private, recreational
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 16,448 hours in all; 9,308 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 42 in the last 30 days; 1,020 as pilot in command; 1,498 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 14, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Cabin Crew
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Cabin Crew
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
Cabin Crew
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 65,971 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, November 2, 2020
- Maximum gross weight: 151,800 lb
- Seats: 158
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 2: International Aero Engines V2527-A5 (turbofan); 78,968 hours total
- Engine 3: International Aero Engines V2527-A5 (turbofan); 57,547 hours total
- Operator: United Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: KSNA Santa Ana CA at 4:02 pm
- Destination: KIAH Houston TX
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 9 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,300 ft
- Temperature: 24°F (-4°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 2993.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from KIAH
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 5 | ||
| Passengers | 134 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on January 6, 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 | Flight Crew Statements | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Flight Attendant Statements | PDF, 1 page | 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.