Incident Overview
On September 23, 2018, at approximately 2145 Eastern Daylight Time, United Airlines Flight 138, a Boeing B757-224 registered as N13113, was in the process of boarding at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) in Newark, New Jersey. The flight, a scheduled international passenger service under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121, was destined for Reykjavik-Keflavik International Airport (KEF) in Keflavik, Iceland. The aircraft was scheduled to carry 177 passengers and crew.
Sequence of Events
During the initial boarding process, the resupplying of catering was still ongoing. A catering service worker was quickly pushing a catering cart through the aisle when the cart struck a flight attendant's foot. The flight attendant initially believed the injury was a bruise and chose to remain on board to work the flight. However, during the flight, the pain in his foot intensified, requiring him to elevate his foot for short periods. After arriving at KEF, the flight attendant sought medical treatment at a local hospital, where he was diagnosed with a fractured heel.
Injuries and Damage
One flight attendant sustained a serious injury—a fractured heel. No other injuries to passengers or crew were reported, and the aircraft sustained no damage.
Regulatory Context
The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 121, which governs domestic and international scheduled air carrier operations.