What happened
American Eagle Flight 4126 was operating a scheduled passenger flight from Chicago O'Hare International Airport en route to Champaign, Illinois. Approximately five minutes into the flight, and while located about ten miles southeast of the departure airport, the aircraft encountered severe vertical turbulence during its climb phase. The intensity of the turbulence caused a flight attendant to fall, resulting in a fractured ankle.
Upon encountering the adverse weather conditions, the captain decided to abort the climb. The crew turned back toward the departure airport and executed an uneventful landing at O'Hare International Airport. Despite the injury sustained by the cabin crew member, the aircraft was undamaged during the incident.
The investigation
The official NTSB report provides a factual narrative of the event but does not include detailed mechanical findings or extensive investigative data in this specific excerpt. The primary focus of the record is the operational response to the weather encounter and the resulting injury.
Findings
The incident highlights the risks associated with severe vertical turbulence during the initial climb phase of flight near major metropolitan airports. While the aircraft remained airworthy and landed safely, the event resulted in a significant injury to a flight attendant. The crew's decision to abort the climb and return to the departure airport was executed without further complication, preventing potential escalation of the situation.
Safety message
This incident underscores the importance of seatbelt use for all occupants during taxi, takeoff, and landing phases, as well as during any period of anticipated or reported turbulence. Even brief encounters with severe turbulence can cause injuries to unbelted passengers or crew members moving through the cabin.