Boeing 757-223 accident near Dulles, Virginia, October 30, 2001
On October 30, 2001, a Boeing 757-223, registered N640A, was involved in an accident near Dulles, Virginia (Washington Dulles Int'L Arpt airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured; 148 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A passenger sustained a broken ankle during an emergency evacuation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 30, 2001
- Place
- Dulles, Virginia · Washington Dulles Int'L Arpt · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 148 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 757-223 · all 757-223s on the register
- Registration
- N640A · no longer on the register · serial 24598
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
About 40 minutes after takeoff, a passenger found a threatening note when she extended her seat back tray. The note was given to a flight attendant, who informed the flightcrew of its contents. The flightcrew declared an emergency, diverted to another airport, and landed uneventfully. An emergency evacuation was conducted, during which one passenger broke her ankle, while exiting the bottom of the emergency slide. She was transported to the hospital, treated for her injuries, and returned to the airport to continue on the flight.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 3,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight engineer, military
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,540 hours in all; 90 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 1,700 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 240,000 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: General Electric (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: General Electric (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: American Airlines INC
The flight
- Departed from: LGA New York NY at 11:19 pm
- Destination: DFW Dallas TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 14,000 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.45 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 8 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 140 |
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.