Dornier 328 incident near Washington, District of Columbia, June 17, 2002
On June 17, 2002 at about 11:50 pm local time, a Dornier 328, registered N439JS, was involved in an incident near Washington, District of Columbia (Ronald Regan Washington airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person had minor injuries; 13 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The ground service personnel's failure to follow company procedure, which resulted in the flight attendant sustaining a serious injury.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 17, 2002 · about 11:50 pm local time
- Place
- Washington, District of Columbia · Ronald Regan Washington · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 13 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Dornier 328 · all 328s on the register
- Registration
- N439JS · no longer on the register · serial 3057
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While the flight attendant was attempting to lock the door from inside the airplane, ground service personnel locked it from the outside of the airplane, catching the flight attendant's hand, fracturing her finger and wrist. The procedure for the Dornier 328 aircraft was for ground personnel to close the door flush with the fuselage, and the flight attendant to lock it.
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
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 30,843 lb
- Seats: 35
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney 119B (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney 119B (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DCA Washington DC at 8:50 pm
- Destination: BTV Burlington VT
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 11:51 pm from DCA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 3 | ||
| Passengers | 10 |
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.