Boeing MD-82 accident near Fort Worth, Texas, June 12, 2003
On June 12, 2003 at about 9:47 am local time, a Boeing MD-82, registered N451AA, was involved in an accident near Fort Worth, Texas (Dallas/Fort Worth Internationa airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 2 people were seriously injured; 132 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The encounter with severe turbulence during descent, prior to the cabin crew taking their seats, which resulted in serious injury to two flight attendants.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 12, 2003 · about 9:47 am local time
- Place
- Fort Worth, Texas · Dallas/Fort Worth Internationa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured; 132 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing MD-82
- Registration
- N451AA · registry record · serial 49477
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The scheduled domestic air carrier flight encountered severe turbulence while making a descent to land, injuring two flight attendants. The pilot illuminated the seatbelt sign and made an announcement for the cabin crew to take their seats because of expected turbulence. The aft cabin attendants went to the rear of the airplane to stow an auxiliary table, and were proceeding to their seats when the turbulence began. One cabin attendant sustained a fractured right ankle, and the other sustained a fractured tibia. The aviation weather report for destination airport included thunderstorm and rain activity with frequent lightning.
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: 9,871 hours in all; 9,845 in this make and model; 180 in the last 90 days; 57 in the last 30 days; 2,461 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 957 hours in all; 957 in this make and model; 125 in the last 90 days; 45 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 150,500 lb
- Seats: 135
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney JT8D (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Operator: American Airlines, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: LAX Los Angeles CA at 7:52 am
- Destination: DFW Dallas/Ft Worth TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 320° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 11,000 ft; a few clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observation at 10:20 am from DFW, 35 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | 3 | ||
| Passengers | 129 |
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.