Boeing 767-3P6 accident near Unknown, Ar, October 5, 2009
On October 5, 2009 at about 11:44 pm local time, a Boeing 767-3P6, registered N156DL, was involved in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Unknown. It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured; 231 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An inadvertent encounter with turbulence, which resulted in an injury to a flight cabin attendant.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 5, 2009 · about 11:44 pm local time
- Place
- Unknown, Argentina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 231 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 767-3P6 · all 767-3P6s on the register
- Registration
- N156DL · no longer on the register · serial 25354
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the cruise portion of a scheduled international passenger flight, a flight attendant incurred serious injury while trying to stow a beverage cart during an encounter with turbulence. The flight attendant stated, "…the cart as it often does, went to the side and not forward as I was trying to put it in its secured position. Unknown to me, when the cart went on [its] own route to the side and not forward it must have caused a whip lash." The flight attendant continued with her duties for the remainder of the flight, and sought medical attention after the flight landed at its scheduled destination. The flight attendant's injuries consisted of two fractured ribs. According to statements provided by the cockpit crew, they were unaware that anyone had been injured until several days after the conclusion of the flight. None recalled encountering any significant turbulence during the flight. Seven other flight attendants also provided written statements. Five of the flight attendants did not recall anything abnormal about the flight, one recalled encountering a "patch of rough air," and one recalled encountering an unexpected area of "severe turbulence." Due to the Safety Board's late notification of the event, flight data recorder information pertaining to the accident flight was not available. The exact time and location that the event took place could not be determined.
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 › (general) › Effect on personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,715 hours in all; 2,797 in this make and model
- Last flight review: April 3, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,461 hours in all; 3,733 in this make and model
- Last flight review: April 19, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 76,843 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, January 8, 2009; 76,843 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 409,000 lb
- Seats: 290
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: General Electric CF6-80C2 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: General Electric CF6-80C2 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Delta Air Lines INC
The flight
- Departed from: SAEZ Buenos Aires at 11:44 pm
- Destination: ATL Atlanta GA
- 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 | 4 | |||
| Passengers | 219 |
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.
