Created Sunday, Nov 24th 2024 21:01Z, last updated Thursday, Sep 4th 2025 16:57Z
An American Airlines Boeing 777-200, registration N753AN performing flight
AA-930 from Sao Paulo Guarulhos,SP (Brazil) to Miami,FL (USA) with 221 passengers and 12 crew, was enroute at FL380 about 770nm north of Sao Paulo when the aircraft encountered severe turbulence causing injuries to a number of people on board. The crew decided to return to Sao Paulo where the aircraft landed without further incident about 3.5 hours after departure. One passenger was taken to a hospital with a serious injury (leg fracture), a number of others were assessed for minor injuries.
On Sep 4th 2025 the NTSB released their final report and investigation docket concluding the probable cause of the accident was:
The airplane’s encounter with unanticipated turbulence during cruise flight, which resulted in serious injury to one passenger who was not seated.
The NTSB analysed:
American Airlines flight 930 encountered unanticipated moderate turbulence while operating from São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport (SBGR), São Paulo, Brazil to Miami International Airport (KMIA), Miami, Florida on a scheduled international passenger flight.
During preflight preparations, the flight crew noted an area of weather instability north of São Paulo. The captain was the pilot monitoring, and the first officer was the pilot flying with another first officer on rest break. The seat belt sign was illuminated, and the flight crew briefed the cabin crew regarding potential turbulence. At 38,000 feet (FL380), after clearing the previously identified weather instability, the airplane encountered two successive jolts of moderate turbulence lasting about five seconds. The flight attendants (FAs) reported service was concluding and they were not seated at that time.
Several FAs and one passenger sustained minor injuries when service items and carts became airborne. One passenger found on the floor near door 3L was seriously injured.
After coordinating with the cabin crew and consulting with an onboard physician, the flight crew declared a medical emergency and returned to SBGR. The captain assumed the pilot flying duties and conducted an overweight landing on runway 10L without further incident.
Related Flight:
AA930,
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