Boeing 787-9 accident near Pacific Ocean, PO, March 29, 2026
On March 29, 2026 at about 2:56 pm local time, a 2025 Boeing 787-9, registered N23994, was involved in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Pacific Ocean, PO. It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured; 164 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An unanticipated encounter with clear air turbulence while in cruise flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 29, 2026 · about 2:56 pm local time
- Place
- Pacific Ocean, PO · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 164 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 787-9, built 2025 · all 787-9s on the register
- Registration
- N23994 · registry record · serial 68622
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On March 29, 2026, about 1456 pacific daylight time (PDT), United Airlines flight 115, encountered moderate turbulence while in cruise flight at FL300 en route to Faa’a (Tahiti) International Airport (NTAA) Papeete, French Polynesia. Of the 164 passengers and crew onboard, one flight attendant sustained a serious injury. The flight was operating under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 as a regularly scheduled international passenger flight from San Francisco International Airport (SFO), San Francisco, California to NTAA. According to the flight crew, dispatch had planned the flight at FL300 due to forecast turbulence between FL320 and FL380 off the California coast. After departure, the flight attendants remained seated until the airplane reached cruise altitude at FL300 and conditions were deemed suitable to begin cabin service. During the first 90 minutes of flight, the airplane encountered intermittent light turbulence, resulting in multiple communications with dispatch and periodic illumination of the seatbelt sign. Dispatch advised that the greatest turbulence risk was expected between latitudes 34°N and 30°N. About 95 minutes after departure, the airplane encountered a jolt of moderate clear air turbulence with no corresponding returns displayed at altitude on the onboard weather radar. The sudden encounter with moderate turbulence resulted in two flight attendants falling. The flight crew immediately directed the flight attendants to be seated and notified dispatch of the turbulence encounter. Dispatch advised that the airplane had recently crossed the subtropical jet stream, a condition unknown to the flight crew at the time. Shortly thereafter, the cockpit was informed that a flight attendant had been injured. Following notification of the injury, the flight crew coordinated with dispatch and MedLink and requested emergency medical services to meet the airplane upon arrival. A physician traveling onboard evaluated the injured flight attendant and recommended diagnostic imaging upon landing. The flight attendant was subsequently transported to a hospital, where they were diagnosed with a serious injury. At the time of the flight’s turbulence encounter there were no active inflight weather advisories or company issued advisories for the area.
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 (cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Turbulence › Clear air turbulence › Effect on personnel
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Knowledge › Knowledge of meteorologic cond › Flight crew
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Knowledge › Knowledge of meteorologic cond › Cabin crew
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 14,500 hours in all; 800 in this make and model; 149 in the last 90 days; 66 in the last 30 days; 10,000 as pilot in command; 1,500 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 6, 2026
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,680 hours in all; 145 in this make and model; 145 in the last 90 days; 65 in the last 30 days; 1,331 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 7, 2026
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
Other crew
- Flight time: 10,118 hours in all
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,347 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 561,500 lb
- Seats: 422
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Ge GENX-1B76AP2G (turbofan); 4,347 hours total
- Engine 2: Ge GENX-1B76AP2G (turbofan); 4,347 hours total
- Operator: United Airlines INC
The flight
- Departed from: San Francisco CA
- Destination: Tahiti OF
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 1 | 8 | ||
| Flight crew | 3 | |||
| LapC | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 152 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on August 20, 2026. 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Flight Crew Statements | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 DCA26LA167.