Incident Overview
On September 10, 2018, at 9:00 pm Mountain Standard Time, American Airlines flight 2197, a Boeing 737-800 registered as N950NN, experienced wake turbulence while descending through 3,100 feet on approach to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (KPHX) in Phoenix, Arizona. The flight was a regularly scheduled passenger service from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (KSEA) in Seattle, Washington, to KPHX, operating under 14 CFR Part 121.
Sequence of Events
According to the flight crew, the seat belt sign was illuminated and a "prepare for landing" announcement had been made to the flight attendants. The aircraft was approximately three miles behind a narrow-body Airbus, in landing configuration, when the turbulence occurred. During the event, a flight attendant who was securing items in the galley was seriously injured.
Aftermath and Injuries
After landing, the flight crew was notified of the injury. Paramedics met the flight at the gate, and the flight attendant was transported to a hospital, where she was diagnosed with a broken left rib. No other passengers or crew members were injured, and the aircraft was not damaged.