No fatalities

Flight Attendant Injured During Moderate Turbulence Encounter (N953UA)

Portland, OR, US

On November 25, 1995, a Boeing 737-522 (registration N953UA) operated by United Airlines, Inc. was involved in an aviation accident near Portland, OR. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: AN UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER WITH UNFORECAST MODERATE HIGH LEVEL WINDSHEAR AND TURBULENCE AS THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT WAS PERFORMING HIS DUTIES DURING DESCENT. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 3 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 2026-07-04Data APIEditorial standards
Boeing 737-522
Photo: San Diego Air & Space Museum Archives / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

A flight attendant fractured a shoulder after falling onto a galley stove during a brief moderate turbulence encounter while descending through FL200.

Incident Details

The captain reported that at the beginning of the descent for landing, he turned on the seatbelt sign and informed the cabin crew to secure the cabin early because of suspected turbulence. He did not urge the flight attendants to be seated immediately, because none of the weather information he received at the time indicated anything other than the possibility of light turbulence.

About 15 minutes later, while descending through flight level 200, the airplane briefly encountered what the captain described as moderate turbulence. One of the flight attendants was still securing the cabin at the time and fell backwards onto a stove in the galley, sustaining a fractured shoulder.

Weather Information

Weather information received after the accident revealed that moderate turbulence or significant weather reports were not forecast for the altitude of occurrence by the National Weather Service.

All Boeing 737-800 accidents →

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 25 Nov 1995 Boeing 737-522 accident near Portland, OR?

A flight attendant fractured a shoulder after falling onto a galley stove during a brief moderate turbulence encounter while descending through FL200.

Were there any fatalities in the 25 Nov 1995 Boeing 737-522 accident?

No fatalities were recorded in this accident.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 25 Nov 1995 involved a Boeing 737-522, registration N953UA, operated by United Airlines, Inc., at Portland, OR.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

AN UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER WITH UNFORECAST MODERATE HIGH LEVEL WINDSHEAR AND TURBULENCE AS THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT WAS PERFORMING HIS DUTIES DURING DESCENT.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001207X04932. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.