Airbus Industrie A-319-114 accident near Scottsbluff, Nebraska, June 11, 2005
On June 11, 2005, a Airbus Industrie A-319-114, registered N302NB, suffered minor damage in an accident near Scottsbluff, Nebraska. It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured; 126 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the inflight encounter with moderate turbulence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 11, 2005
- Place
- Scottsbluff, Nebraska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 126 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Airbus Industrie A-319-114 · all A-319-114s on the register
- Registration
- N302NB · registry record · serial 1062
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The aircraft was flying in an area of thunderstorms with the nearest cell 40 miles to the left of course. The captain said the top of a thunderstorm cell was "not painting on radar." They had been expecting light chop but encountered moderate turbulence instead. When the airplane encountered the turbulence, a flight attendant struck the ceiling and a beverage cart. The seat belt light was illuminated at the time. An emergency was declared and the aircraft landed at Denver without further incident. The injured flight attendant was taken to a hospital. An AIRMET for "occasional moderate turbulence between FL270 and FL400 associated with jet stream windshear" had been in effect for the area. There were no PIREPS (pilot reports) of turbulence before the accident, but in the 40 minutes after the accident, there were 5 pilot reports of moderate turbulence at altitudes between FL320 and FL380.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,050 hours in all; 970 in this make and model; 970 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,625 hours in all; 1,586 in this make and model
- Last flight review: April 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 144,200 lb
- Seats: 133
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cfm International CFM56-5-A5 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Cfm International CFM56-5-A5 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MSP Minneapolis MN at 9:55 pm
- Destination: DEN Denver CO
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Wind: from 320° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,400 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from DEN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 6 | ||
| Passengers | 120 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.