Boeing Of Canada/Dehav Div DHC-8-311 accident near Fayetteville, North Carolina, August 6, 2009
On August 6, 2009 at about 3:15 am local time, a Boeing Of Canada/Dehav Div DHC-8-311, registered N328EN, was involved in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Fayetteville, North Carolina. It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured; 32 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An in-flight encounter with convective clouds resulting in moderate turbulence and serious injury to a flight attendant.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 6, 2009 · about 3:15 am local time
- Place
- Fayetteville, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 32 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing Of Canada/Dehav Div DHC-8-311 · all DHC-8-311s on the register
- Registration
- N328EN · no longer on the register · serial 281
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After leveling off at 14,000 feet mean sea level the flightcrew allowed passenger beverage service to occur. Shortly thereafter the flightcrew noticed a layer of clouds ahead and asked air traffic control (ATC) if they could climb to stay above the clouds. The controller was unable to clear the airplane to climb due to traffic above. The captain informed the flight attendant (FA) who began beverage service to put the cart away and be seated due to anticipated turbulence. The flight entered a cloud layer and was then vectored by ATC 80 degrees to the right to a navigation fix. During the turn, the first officer noticed a small cell of precipitation directly ahead of their flight path. The first officer continued the turn 30 more degrees to avoid the cell but the flight encountered about 15 seconds of moderate turbulence. The beverage cart and the flight attendant became airborne, and when she landed she sustained compound fractures of her left tibia and fibula. She alerted the captain and two passengers assisted the injured FA by securing the beverage cart. The injured FA continued to make all required safety announcements. An emergency was declared with air traffic control and the flight proceeded to the destination and landed without further event. The FA was transported to a hospital for treatment. Postaccident operational testing of the weather radar system revealed it tested satisfactory.
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
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Turbulence › Convective turbulence › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,800 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 152 in the last 90 days; 65 in the last 30 days; 5,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 17, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,600 hours in all; 3,100 in this make and model; 250 in the last 90 days; 85 in the last 30 days; 1,300 as pilot in command; 600 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 25, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 31,596 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, July 19, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 41,000 lb
- Seats: 55
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: P&W Canada PW123 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: P&W Canada PW123 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Piedmont Airlines INC
The flight
- Departed from: CLT Charlotte NC at 3:01 am
- Destination: EWN New Bern NC
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 080° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; a few clouds at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 2:52 am from CLT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 1 | |||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 30 |
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.