Boeing 737-823 accident near Miami, Florida, September 29, 2011
On September 29, 2011 at about 8:27 pm local time, a Boeing 737-823, registered N804NN, was involved in an accident during enroute (descent) near Miami, Florida (Miami International airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured; 165 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The in-flight encounter with clear air turbulence, which resulted 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
- September 29, 2011 · about 8:27 pm local time
- Place
- Miami, Florida · Miami International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 165 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 737-823 · all 737-823s on the register
- Registration
- N804NN · registry record · serial 29567
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to crew statements, the airplane was descending through about 16,000 feet mean sea level in clear air when it encountered two jolts of turbulence that did not damage the airplane but resulted in a flight attendant being lifted off the deck and hitting the ceiling, then being thrown to the floor and breaking her ankle. The flight attendant was in the galley preparing for landing, and the seat belt sign was illuminated. The captain had previously deviated for weather, and the airplane was operating between cloud buildups at the time. The captain also noted that the air was relatively smooth, and that radar returns indicated that the airplane was more than 20 miles from any significant weather.
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
- Clear air turbulence encounter during enroute (descent) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Turbulence › Clear air turbulence › Effect on personnel
- Personnel issues › Physical › Impairment/incapacitation › Illness/injury › Cabin crew
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,262 hours in all; 2,104 in this make and model
- Last flight review: August 11, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 162
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cfm Intl CFM56-7B24/3 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Cfm Intl CFM56-7B24/3 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: American Airlines INC
The flight
- Departed from: LIR Liberia
- Destination: MIA Miami FL
- 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 | 3 | ||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 160 |
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.