Airbus Industrie A320-232 accident near Springfield, Missouri, May 25, 2022
On May 25, 2022 at about 1:10 am local time, a 2001 Airbus Industrie A320-232, registered N483UA, was involved in an accident during enroute near Springfield, Missouri. It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured; 150 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight’s encounter with clear air moderate turbulence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 25, 2022 · about 1:10 am local time
- Place
- Springfield, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 150 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Airbus Industrie A320-232, built 2001 · all A320-232s on the register
- Registration
- N483UA · registry record · serial 1586
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
United Airlines flight 2197 experienced clear air moderate turbulence at flight level (FL) 350 while enroute to Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ), Toronto, Canada. The flight was a regularly scheduled passenger flight from George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), Houston, Texas. As a result of the turbulence, one flight attendant experienced a serious injury to their wrist. The aircraft received no damage and continued to its destination without further incident. As stated by the first officer, dispatch remarks for this flight included a forecast for light to moderate turbulence over VORTACs BUM - JOT between FL310 - 390. The captain conducted a pre-departure briefing with the flight attendants which included the possibility of experiencing turbulence. About two hours into the flight, two flight attendants were in the last three rows of the aft cabin conducting in-flight service when light turbulence commenced. The two flight attendants decided to “bring the cart back into the galley to finish the service.” As they were pushing back into the galley, the turbulence intensified, and one of the two flight attendants asked the other to sit down in their jump seat while the other set the brake on the cart. As the flight attendant was securing the cart, the captain made an announcement asking the flight attendants to take their seats. At that time, the flight attendant who was securing the cart lost their footing and fell back where the other flight attendant had taken their seat. The seated flight attendant attempted to brace the falling flight attendant and injured their wrist. The captain stated that this instance of turbulence lasted about 15 seconds. In addition, he reported that that the seatbelt sign had been on for five minutes prior to this moderate turbulence as the aircraft flew through light turbulence earlier in the flight. The injured flight attendant was treated by an onboard doctor, and the flight proceeded to its destination without further incident. Upon arrival to Toronto, paramedics met the airplane. The flight attendant was taken for x-rays and diagnosed with a broken bone in their wrist.
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 › Contributed to outcome
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › (general) › Cabin crew
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Turbulence › Clear air turbulence › Effect on personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 18,600 hours in all; 3,800 in this make and model; 163 in the last 90 days; 85 in the last 30 days; 2,500 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 20, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,000 hours in all; 639 in this make and model; 180 in the last 90 days; 82 in the last 30 days; 2,300 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 22, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Cabin Crew
- Seat: unk
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 63,348 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, June 8, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 170,600 lb
- Seats: 158
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Iae V2527-A5 (turbofan); 65,174 hours total
- Engine 2: Iae V2527-A5 (turbofan); 61,697 hours total
- Operator: United Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: IAH Houston TX at 11:33 pm
- Destination: YYZ Toronto OF
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 4 | ||
| Passengers | 146 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
8 documents, released by the NTSB on April 1, 2024. 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 | Route Chart | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Weather Package | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Operational Flight Plan Ofp | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Winds and Temperature | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Captain Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | First Officer Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 8 | Cabin Crew Statements | PDF, 5 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.