No fatalities

Flight Attendant Injured During Moderate Turbulence on Descent

Van Nuys, CA, United States

On January 2, 2020, a Gulfstream G IV Undesignat operated by EXECUTIVE CHARTERS INC was involved in an aviation accident near Van Nuys, CA. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The airplane’s encounter with turbulence during descent, which resulted in a serious injury to a flight attendant. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-08-03Data APIEditorial standards

During descent for landing, a flight encountered moderate turbulence after ATC reported moderate to severe turbulence. The flight attendant fell and sustained a serious injury; the aircraft was not damaged.

Incident Overview

During descent for landing, the flight was approaching approximately 16,000 feet when air traffic control informed the crew of reports of moderate to severe turbulence. The flight crew immediately attempted to contact the flight attendant to instruct her to take her seat, but these attempts were unsuccessful. As the aircraft descended through about 12,000 feet, it entered moderate turbulence.

Crew Actions

After the turbulence encounter, the captain asked the first officer to check on the flight attendant and the passengers. The first officer found that the flight attendant had fallen and was injured. He assisted her and secured her into a seat. Subsequently, he informed the captain of the situation.

Outcome

The aircraft sustained no damage. The flight attendant suffered a serious injury during the turbulence event.

Contributing factors

Effect on personnel