Probable cause
an encounter with convectively induced turbulence associated with towering cumulus clouds during descent.
NTSB analysis
On September 6, 2019, about 1600 EDT, Spirit Airlines flight 967, an Airbus A319, N515NK, encountered turbulence during descent into Fort Myers Southwest Florida Airport (KRSW), Fort Myers, Florida. Of the108 passengers and crew onboard, one flight attendant received serious injuries. The airplane was not damaged. The flight was operating under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 as a regularly scheduled domestic passenger flight from the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (KCLE), Cleveland, Ohio to KRSW.
According to the flight crew, the flight was descending through about 12,000 feet when the captain made the arrival announcement on the public address system (PA) “in anticipation of encountering turbulence due to a scattered layer of cumulous clouds.” The seat belt sign was illuminated.
According to the flight attendants (FA), the turbulence was encountered shortly after the captain’s PA, while the flight attendants were conducting final compliance checks in the cabin. One of the aft flight attendants fell to the floor during the encounter. She was unable to return to her jumpseat due to her injury and was assisted to a passenger seat in the aft cabin for landing. The flight crew was notified of the FAs injury and requested that paramedics meet the airplane at the gate. After landing, the injured FA was transported to the hospital where she was diagnosed with a fractured ankle.
Post accident examination of the weather data determined that the turbulence occurred during day visual meteorological conditions when the airplane entered scattered cumulus congestus clouds (towering cumulus) associated with heavy rain showers and a sea breeze front. There was no lightning detected, pilot reports (PIREPs), or inflight weather advisories current for the area.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for DCA19CA213 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Sep 6, 2019
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Fort Myers, Florida
- Highest injury
- Serious
- Serious injuries
- 1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Airbus A319
- N-number
- N515NK
- Category
- Airplane
- Year built
- 2006
- 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.