Accident Dornier 328JET-310 N427FJ, Thursday 24 April 2003

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Date:	Thursday 24 April 2003
Time:	22:35 LT
Type:	Dornier 328JET-310
Owner/operator:	Atlantic Coast Airlines
Registration:	N427FJ
MSN:	3192
Engine model:	Pratt & Whitney PW-306B
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 8
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	None
Category:	Accident
Location:	Roanoke, VA - United States of America
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Unknown
Departure airport:	Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport, KY (CVG/KCVG)
Destination airport:	Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport, VA (ROA/KROA)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
During cruise flight at 22,000 feet, the airplane encountered unforecasted clear air turbulence. The flight attendant, who was standing at the time, sustained serious injuries when she was thrown against the bulkhead, then to the floor. Following the turbulence encounter, the airplane continued to its destination and landed uneventfully. A review of the flight release that was issued to the pilots revealed a warning for occasional moderate turbulence below 12,000 feet for an area several hundred miles to the west of the airplane's route of flight. In addition, no SIGMETs or AIRMETs were issued for the Roanoke, Virginia, area.

Probable Cause: The airplane's encounter with unforecasted clear air turbulence during cruise flight.

Accident investigation: