Casualties unknown

Northwest Airlines Flight 2 Turbulence Incident (N676NW)

174km SSW of Narita international Airport, JP

On February 20, 2009, a Boeing 747-400 (registration N676NW) operated by Northwest Airlines was involved in an aviation accident near 174km SSW of Narita international Airport, JP. This summary draws on records from the Japan Transport Safety Board (JTSB); 13 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Japan Transport Safety Board (JTSB)Primary reportUpdated 2026-09-13Data APIEditorial standards
Aircraft registered N676NW
Aircraft registered N676NW. Photo: Kentaro Iemoto from Tokyo, Japan / CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

A Northwest Airlines Boeing 747-400 encountered severe turbulence near Narita in 2009, injuring 34 people. The Japan Transport Safety Board investigated the incident.

Incident Overview and Investigation Authority On February 20, 2009, a Boeing 747-400 registered as N676NW, operated by Northwest Airlines Incorporated, was en route from Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Narita International Airport as scheduled Flight 2. Around 11:45 Japan Standard Time, the aircraft encountered turbulence at an altitude of approximately 30,300 feet, located about 174 kilometers south-southwest of Narita International Airport. The Japan Transport Safety Board (JTSB) conducted the investigation, although the United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) initially held jurisdiction as the state of registry before entrusting the investigation to JTSB on March 6, 2009. The investigation was conducted in accordance with Annex 13 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation, with the objective of determining causes and preventing future accidents rather than apportioning blame or liability.

Investigation report by the Japan Transport Safety Board (JTSB). Original record: https://jtsb.mlit.go.jp/eng-air_report/N676NW.pdf. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the Japan Transport Safety Board (JTSB) - Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.