Preliminary findings launched on Wednesday of an investigation into a Singapore Airlines flight hit by means of critical turbulence closing week confirmed {that a} speedy trade in gravitational drive and a 54-meter (177ft) altitude drop caused injuries.
A 73-year-old passenger died of a suspected center assault and dozens had been injured after flight SQ321, flying from London to Singapore, encountered what the airline described as unexpected, excessive turbulence whilst flying over Myanmar.
The May 21 flight on a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft sporting 211 passengers and 18 team diverted to Bangkok for an emergency touchdown after the aircraft was once buffeted by means of turbulence that flung passengers and team across the cabin, slamming some into the ceiling.
“The aircraft experienced a rapid change in G (gravitational force) … This likely resulted in the occupants who were not belted up to become airborne,” the Singapore Transport Ministry stated in a observation.
“The vertical acceleration changed from negative 1.5G to positive 1.5G within 4 seconds. This likely resulted in the occupants who were airborne to fall back down,” it stated, mentioning information extracted from the flight information and cockpit voice recorders.
“The rapid changes in G over the 4.6 seconds duration resulted in an altitude drop of 178 ft, from 37,362 ft to 37,184 ft. This sequence of events likely caused the injuries to the crew and passengers,” it added.
Chaotic scenes
Shaken passengers described scenes of chaos within the mins after the incident, with the turbulence throwing folks upwards then into the aisle, many left with bleeding and head wounds.
Photographs of the cabin confirmed gashes within the overhead cabin panels, oxygen mask and panels placing from the ceiling and baggage strewn round. A passenger stated some folks’s heads had slammed into lighting fixtures above the seats and damaged the panels.
Singapore Airlines stated it said the file and was once cooperating totally with the investigation.
The airline overdue on Tuesday had stated 42 individuals who had been on board the flight had been nonetheless in Bangkok, together with 26 passengers receiving scientific remedy in clinic.
Among the ones first of all hospitalized had been sufferers with spinal wire injuries and a few with mind and cranium injuries, in line with Thai scientific officers.
The initial file stated that upon the flight encountering slight vibrations there was once an uncommanded build up in altitude, ensuing within the autopilot pitching the plane downwards. The pilots skilled an build up in airspeed and spoke back by means of making use of pace brakes.
“While managing the airspeed … it was heard that a pilot called out that the fasten seat belt sign had been switched on,” it stated.
Hong Kong’s Greater Bay Airlines stated on Wednesday it could require passengers to lock seatbelt all the time throughout the flight even if the seat belt signal is off, ranging from Thursday.
The corporate stated it’s now not a compulsory requirement however a precautionary measure for passenger protection.
The investigation group comprised Singaporean investigators, and U.S. representatives from Boeing, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The Singapore shipping ministry stated the probe was once ongoing.
