Boeing 757-2B7 accident near Cheltenham, Maryland, April 17, 2011
On April 17, 2011 at about 2:42 am local time, a Boeing 757-2B7, registered N200UU, was involved in an accident during enroute (descent) near Cheltenham, Maryland. It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured; 185 others were unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The in-flight encounter with turbulence, resulting in an injury to a cabin attendant.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 17, 2011 · about 2:42 am local time
- Place
- Cheltenham, Maryland · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 185 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 757-2B7 · all 757-2B7s on the register
- Registration
- N200UU · no longer on the register · serial 27809
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the captain, the air carrier flight was descending out of flight level 240, when he asked the flight attendants to secure the cabin and take their seats because of anticipated turbulence. Approximately three minutes later, the airplane was at flight level 200 when it experienced moderate to severe turbulence for several seconds. According to the flight attendants, they were standing and completing the prelanding requirements at the time, when they were unable to maintain their balance. One of the flight attendants sustained a serious foot injury due to a fall, while the others were not injured. The airplane was not damaged and landed uneventfully at the destination airport.
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
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Turbulence › Convective turbulence › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 26,606 hours in all; 1,602 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 64 in the last 30 days; 11,471 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 22, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 18,974 hours in all; 1,566 in this make and model; 88 in the last 90 days; 31 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: June 21, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, April 16, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 256,000 lb
- Seats: 178
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Rolls-Royc RB.211 SERIES (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Rolls-Royc RB.211 SERIES (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: U.S. Airways, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: MCO Orlando FL
- Destination: PHL Philadelphia PA
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 310° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,900 ft; a few clouds at 2,100 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.54 inHg
- Observation at 1:54 am from NAK, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 1 | 6 | ||
| Flight crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 176 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N200UU the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.