Mcdonnell Douglas Aircraft CO MD 83 accident near Miami, Florida, August 23, 2025
On August 23, 2025 at about 5:40 pm local time, a 1996 Mcdonnell Douglas Aircraft CO MD 83, registered N805WA, was involved in an accident during enroute (descent) near Miami, Florida. It was a public-use flight (federal) under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured; 20 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An encounter with convective turbulence during descent that resulted in a serious injury to a flight attendant.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 23, 2025 · about 5:40 pm local time
- Place
- Miami, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 20 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas Aircraft CO MD 83, built 1996 · all MD 83s on the register
- Registration
- N805WA · registry record · serial 53470
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Public-use flight (federal) · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
World Atlantic Airlines flight 261, from Abel Santamaría Airport (SNU), Santa Clara, Cuba, encountered turbulence during descent into Miami International Airport (MIA), Miami, Florida. As a result, one flight attendant (FA) sustained a serious injury. According to the captain, they were descending through 12,000 ft when they observed an isolated cloud formation and requested a deviation from air traffic control (ATC). While maneuvering between clouds, the airplane encountered about two seconds of severe turbulence. At the time of the encounter, the fasten seat belt sign was illuminated. After the turbulence encounter, the flight crew contacted the senior FA and were initially informed that there were no injuries and the cabin was normal. Shortly after, the senior FA called the flight crew to advise that one of the FAs had fallen during the turbulence and was experiencing dizziness. The flight continued to MIA and landed without incident. While taxiing to the gate, the senior FA contacted the flight crew and reported that the injured FA was experiencing pain on her right side. The flight crew requested paramedics to meet the flight at the gate. The injured FA was transported to the hospital and diagnosed with a concussion and rib contusion. The FA was hospitalized for four days before being released. According to the injured FA, she was seated near the galley when the fasten seat belt sign was illuminated. She was attempting to fasten her seat belt when the airplane encountered turbulence. She stated that she felt a heavy impact and lost consciousness. When she regained consciousness, her colleagues were there and she felt pain on her right side. After the accident, World Atlantic Airlines issued a safety bulletin to all inflight personnel that emphasized the importance of adherence to procedures when encountering severe turbulence, including briefings on expected turbulence during arrival and descent.
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 (descent) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Turbulence › Convective turbulence › Effect on personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine
- Flight time: 6,900 hours in all; 6,715 in this make and model; 145 in the last 90 days; 3,374 as pilot in command; 200 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 5,800 hours in all; 4,800 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 2,086 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 23, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Cabin Crew
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: serious injuries
Cabin Crew
- Seat: left
Cabin Crew
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Cabin Crew
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 56,986 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, June 12, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 161,000 lb
- Seats: 158
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: P & W JT8D-15 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: P & W JT8D-15 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: World Atlantic Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: MUSC Santa Clara OF at 8:40 pm
- Destination: MIA Miami FL
- 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 | 4 | ||
| Flig | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 14 |
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 DCA25LA312.