Air Traffic Controller's Failure to Warn of Turbulence Caused Severe Flight Attendant Injuries
A final report released by the National Transportation Safety Board has found that an air traffic controller violated Federal Aviation Administration procedures by failing to pass along a critical turbulence warning, which contributed to severe injuries sustained by three flight attendants on a United Airlines flight. The incident occurred on February 10, 2024, involving United Airlines Flight 1890, a Boeing 777 descending from Los Angeles to Newark Liberty International Airport.
Violent Turbulence and Severe Injuries
The aircraft encountered sudden and violent turbulence during its approach, causing flight attendants to be thrown about the cabin. According to investigators, one flight attendant was hurled into the ceiling and then slammed to the floor, sustaining a spinal fracture. Two others lost consciousness and suffered major injuries, including a shattered femur and head trauma.
Passengers and crew members who were not wearing seatbelts were also thrown upward, including an adult inside a lavatory and an infant being held. The unexpected jolt was so severe that it resulted in broken bones and serious head injuries among the flight crew.
Controller's Critical Oversight
The NTSB's two-year investigation revealed that about three minutes before Flight 1890 encountered the violent turbulence, another aircraft in the same area reported moderate turbulence to an air traffic controller. However, that report was not relayed to the United crew.
The controller, who was based in Boston, told investigators they did not hear the pilot's weather report and were "completing other coordination." Under FAA rules, controllers are required to actively solicit and share Pilot Weather Reports, known as PIREPs, particularly when moderate or greater turbulence is reported.
Lack of Warning and Safety Implications
The report stated that the flight crew had reviewed weather forecasts and monitored onboard weather tools during the descent. However, without a real-time pilot report warning of turbulence ahead, the crew had limited ability to anticipate the dangerous conditions and further prepare the cabin.
The aircraft flew into unstable air despite forecasts for thunderstorms and unsettled weather in the region. The plane's onboard radar and weather systems did not indicate "significant turbulence activity along their descent path," leaving the crew without clear warning of what lay ahead.
Procedural Failures and Legal Context
The NTSB said the controller failed to acknowledge or disseminate the report to other aircraft, as required under FAA procedures. These real-time reports are meant to alert pilots to hazardous conditions so they can adjust routes, secure the cabin, or take other precautions to protect passengers and crew.
Failure to solicit and share PIREPs can lead to legal liability for negligence. However, the NTSB's report includes an explanation that the Board investigates accidents and incidents purely to figure out what happened and improve transportation safety. These investigations are not about assigning blame or pointing fingers, and they do not involve formal charges or legal disputes.
NTSB's reports are also not meant to determine anyone's rights or liabilities and cannot be reported as evidence in civil lawsuits for damages related to the incident. The Independent has contacted the National Air Traffic Controllers Association and Newark Liberty International Airport for comment.
