No fatalities

Flight Attendant Fractures Wrist After Turbulence Event

Raleigh, NC, United States

On January 3, 2016, an EMBRAER ERJ 170 100 SE 100SE operated by SHUTTLE AMERICA CORP was involved in an aviation accident near Raleigh, NC. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: an encounter with turbulence resulting in a serious injury to a flight attendant. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 13 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-08-03Data APIEditorial standards

A flight attendant fractured her wrist after a beverage cart bumped her hand during unexpected turbulence; she continued her duties and the flight landed safely.

Background

According to crew statements, the flight crew briefed the flight attendants that turbulence was forecast for the flight and that they would keep them updated throughout. During the first portion of the flight, the flight encountered light turbulence and occasional moderate turbulence several times, and the flight crew made public address (PA) announcements each time.

Incident

Later, the flight encountered unexpected turbulence and the flight crew immediately turned on the fasten seatbelt sign and made a PA announcement. At that time, a flight attendant was stowing a beverage cart in the aft galley. The turbulence caused the cart to bump the flight attendant's hand.

Aftermath

The flight attendant continued to perform her duties, and the flight landed uneventfully. The following day, the flight attendant's hand was painful and swollen, and she was diagnosed with a broken wrist.

Contributing factors

Effect on personnel