Airbus A321-231 accident near Waycross, Georgia, August 8, 2024
On August 8, 2024 at about 10:17 pm local time, a 2009 Airbus A321-231, registered N542UW, was involved in an accident near Waycross, Georgia. It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The aircraft’s encounter with convectively induced turbulence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 8, 2024 · about 10:17 pm local time
- Place
- Waycross, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Airbus A321-231, built 2009 · all A321-231s on the register
- Registration
- N542UW · registry record · serial 4134
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
American Airlines (AA) flight 2905 encountered turbulence at flight level (FL) 250 [25,000 ft] while enroute to Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) Charlotte, North Carolina. One flight attendant was seriously injured, and 3 flight attendants sustained minor injuries as a result of the turbulence. The flight was a regularly scheduled domestic passenger flight from Tampa International Airport (TPA), Tampa, Florida to CLT. After reviewing the weather prior to flight, the flight crew stated they opted for a cruising altitude of FL250 based on a PIREP [pilot report] describing smooth air between FL250 and FL260. During cruise, they did not observe weather in the 100 miles ahead of them and the clouds they saw appeared to be below them. As they approached top of descent, the crew described going “heads down” for a few minutes to load performance data into the flight management computer and to review the arrival procedure into Charlotte. The crew described that when they looked up, they saw a rapidly building cumulous cloud directly ahead of the airplane, too close to maneuver around. The first officer immediately illuminated the seat belt sign and the airplane penetrated the top of the cloud. Flight data showed that during the event, the airplane encountered load factors ranging from about 0.17g to 2.75g, which classifies as extreme turbulence. The flight attendants had just completed beverage service and were collecting trash at the time the aircraft encountered the turbulence. Flight attendant 3 and 4 were standing by the aft left door preparing the trash cart, flight attendant 2 was on the opposite side of the cart which was lined up to go down the aisle. During the turbulence the trash cart fell on to flight attendants 3 and 4, and flight attendant 2 fell onto the trash cart. Flight attendant 3 fractured both ankles, and flight attendants 2 and 4 suffered minor injuries. These three flight attendants were unable to complete their duties and were secured in passenger seats for the reminder of the flight. The flight crew declared an emergency and continued the flight into CLT. An off-duty pilot and off-duty flight attendant assisted flight attendant 1 with securing the cabin and manned the aft jumpseats for landing. The landing was uneventful. Paramedics met the aircraft at the gate and transported the injured flight attendants to the hospital.
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
- 402360 during 402
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Turbulence › Convective turbulence › Effect on personnel
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Workload management › Task allocation › Flight crew
Pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, AME, ASE, IAIR, APLN, none
- Flight time: 7,500 hours in all; 1,657 in this make and model
- Last flight review: March 19, 2024
- Medical certificate: class 1
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, ASE, APLN, none
- Flight time: 13,873 hours in all; 1,715 in this make and model
- Last flight review: February 24, 2024
- Medical certificate: class 1
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 49,015 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, August 7, 2024
- Maximum gross weight: 206,100 lb
- Seats: 379
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Iae V2533-A5 (turbofan); 29,263 hours total
- Engine 2: Iae V2533-A5 (turbofan); 29,263 hours total
- Operator: American Airlines INC
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: TPA Tampa FL at 9:39 pm
- Destination: CLT Charlotte NC
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°C, dew point 0°C
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 1 | 3 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number DCA24LA255.