Probable cause
an inadvertent encounter with clear air turbulence.
NTSB analysis
According to the captain of the flight, at the time of the turbulence encounter he was navigating around scattered cloud build-ups. Nothing was showing on radar. The injured flight attendant stated that she was walking down the aisle between the mid galley and the aft galley and fell to the floor at the time of the turbulence encounter.
According to the operator, no turbulence was forecast for the area in which the airplane was flying at the time of the turbulence encounter. In addition, satellite imagery revealed that the airplane was in an area not conducive to turbulence when the event occurred.
According to the flight data recorder, the vertical acceleration during the turbulence encounter varied between +1.5 g and -0.3 g. The encounter lasted about 5 seconds.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for DCA10FA076 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Jul 15, 2010
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Pacific Ocean
- Highest injury
- Serious
- Serious injuries
- 1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Boeing 767
- N-number
- N184DN
- Category
- Airplane
- Operating rule
- Part 121 (airline)
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.