Incident Overview
On April 5, 2010, about 1930 central daylight time, a Saab 340B, registration N437XJ, operated by Mesaba Airlines, Inc., as Delta Connection Flight 3271, encountered turbulence while in cruise flight near Bradley, Illinois. The flight was operating under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 in instrument meteorological conditions and on an instrument flight rules flight plan. The airplane had departed from the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport at 1827 and was en route to the General Downing - Peoria International Airport.
Sequence of Events
As the airplane approached its destination airport, the flight crew was attempting to make course corrections to avoid entering cumulus clouds on the airplane's flight path. The seatbelt sign was illuminated, and passengers were seated with their seat belts fastened. However, a buildup of clouds became unavoidable, and the airplane entered the clouds. Upon entry, a brief turbulence encounter was experienced.
At that moment, the flight attendant had just completed collecting garbage after the beverage service and was preparing to sit in her seat. She reported that she was raised up off the floor, her head hit the cabin roof, and she was thrown back down to the floor, landing on her buttocks. The flight attendant was able to complete her duties despite pain and sought medical attention after the flight. It was later determined that she suffered a broken tailbone.
Injuries and Damage
The sole flight attendant received serious injuries. The airplane was not damaged, and no other crew or passengers were injured. The operator described the severity of the turbulence as moderate, while the flight attendant described it as severe.
Investigation
The investigation focused on the events surrounding the turbulence encounter. No probable cause was stated in the official report.