Airbus Industrie A320-232 accident near San Diego, California, June 16, 2001
On June 16, 2001 at about 2:45 am local time, a Airbus Industrie A320-232, registered N661AW, was involved in an accident near San Diego, California. It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured; 141 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the flight crew's excessive descent rate, which resulted in an 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
- June 16, 2001 · about 2:45 am local time
- Place
- San Diego, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 141 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Airbus Industrie A320-232 · all A320-232s on the register
- Registration
- N661AW · registry record · serial 1284
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A flight attendant sustained serious injuries when the flight crew placed the transport category airplane in a sudden rapid descent for landing. According to the operator, air traffic control delayed the flight's descent due to traffic, then cleared the flight to resume the profile descent. The flight attendant fell over while she was picking up trash in preparation for landing and hit her head and back on something, rendering her unconscious. The flight crew originally reported encountering turbulence, but later informed the operator and flight attendant that there was no turbulence.
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; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme
- Maximum gross weight: 170,635 lb
- Seats: 156
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: International Aero Engines V2527/A5 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: International Aero Engines V2527/A5 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PHX Phoenix AZ at 2:00 am
- Destination: SAN San Diego CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 4 | ||
| Passengers | 137 |
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.