Boeing 717 200 N930AT accident near Hopewell, Virginia

Probable cause

the flight attendant's inadvertent bump into a retractable galley tray.

NTSB analysis

On November 20, 2016, about 2223 eastern standard time, Delta Air Lines flight 1982, a Boeing 717-200, N930AT, a flight attendant was seriously injured while the airplane was in cruise flight to LaGuardia International Airport (KLGA), Queens, New York. The remaining 114 passengers and crew were not injured. The regularly scheduled domestic passenger flight was operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 from Miami International Airport (KMIA), Miami, Florida, to KLGA.

According to crew statements, the airplane was in cruise flight at flight level 330 with no turbulence. The lead flight attendant (FA) stated that as she stood up after stooping to retrieve and item from a lower shelf, she struck her right middle ribcage with "full force" on edge of the galley retractable table, which had been pulled out without her awareness. The injury caused her excruciating pain and made it difficult to breathe. The captain was immediately informed of the injury and he arranged for paramedics to meet the airplane at the gate. Because the FA could not complete her duties, the crew enlisted a nonrevenue "deadheading" FA to take her jumpseat position during landing. After landing, the FA was transported to the hospital where she was diagnosed with a broken rib.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for DCA17CA096 for the full record.