Airbus A320-232 accident near Orlando, Florida, July 17, 2024
On July 17, 2024 at about 3:16 am local time, a 2014 Airbus A320-232, registered N633NK, was involved in an accident during taxi near Orlando, Florida (Orlando Intl airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 177 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The captain’s inadvertent aggressive application of the brakes during taxi which resulted in a sudden stop. Contributing to the accident was the flight attendants’ failure to notify the flight crew of the unsecure cabin.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 17, 2024 · about 3:16 am local time
- Place
- Orlando, Florida · Orlando Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 177 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Airbus A320-232, built 2014 · all A320-232s on the register
- Registration
- N633NK · registry record · serial 6345
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Spirit Airlines Inc. flight 1101 came to a sudden stop while taxiing to their gate at Orlando International Airport (ORD), Orlando, Florida, and a flight attendant (FA) sustained a serious injury. The flight crew was instructed to hold short of the ramp area due to another airplane occupying the alleyway to their assigned gate. Once the other airplane departed the alleyway flight 1101 could taxi to their gate. The flight crew reported multiple announcements were made reminding passengers to remain seated since they were not at the gate. Believing the cabin was secure, they began to taxi to the gate for parking. Shortly thereafter, they received a call from a FA indicating that there was a line at the aft lavatory and that the cabin was not secure. The captain applied the brakes and inadvertently brought the airplane to an abrupt stop. The flight crew then received a call advising them of multiple FA injuries. At the time of the event, FA-A and FA-D were assisting a passenger who was vomiting profusely. When the aircraft came to an abrupt stop, FA-A sustained an injury to her wrist, while FA-D was thrown to the floor and hit her head. Upon being notified of the injury, the flight crew requested to have emergency medical technicians (EMT) meet the aircraft at the gate. FA-A and FA-D were transported to local hospitals where one was diagnosed with a minor wrist injury and the other a serious head injury.
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
- Abrupt maneuver during taxi defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Communication (personnel) › Lack of communication › Cabin crew
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,500 hours in all; 4,700 in this make and model; 5,600 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 27, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,378 hours in all; 657 in this make and model; 66 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 284 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 25, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 34,631 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, June 9, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 91,051 lb
- Seats: 188
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Iae V2527-A5 (turbofan); 23,340 hours total
- Engine 2: Iae V2527-A5 (turbofan); 36,780 hours total
- Operator: Spirit Airlines Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: Charolette NC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 17L, 9,001 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 170° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 am from KMCO, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KMCO 170653Z 17003KT 10SM CLR 24/23 A3005 RMK AO2 SLP174 T02390233
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 173 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on October 16, 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 | Flight Crew Statements | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Cabin Crew 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.