Sudden, unexpected turbulence injures dozens on Delta flight
Conditions appeared clear at the time of the incident.
More than a dozen people were injured on Delta Airlines Flight 56 after an unexpected bout with turbulence, CNN reports.
The aircraft was not near thunderstorms at the time, and the turbulence reportedly came on suddenly and with little warning on the July 30th flight from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam.
The seatbelt sign was off when the incident occurred near Creston, Wyoming. The turbulence lasted about 2.5 minutes, according to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). It sent unsecured service carts, flight attendants, and passengers toward the plane’s ceiling.
The severe up and down motions disengaged the plane’s autopilot system. The turbulence also damaged the aircraft’s interior. Everything that wasn’t strapped down was sent flying.
The plane, an Airbus A330, made an emergency landing in Minneapolis. There were 275 passengers and 13 crew members on board. Eighteen passengers and seven Delta employees were taken to the hospital.
According to an NTSB report, the pilots had been aware of the potential for adverse weather prior to take off, and had adjusted their route to avoid storms. Prior to the incident, pilots only observed “light cirrus clouds,” and the turbulence indicator on the crew’s iPad was “green,” according to NTSB.
The agency says the investigation is ongoing.
What is turbulence?
“In aviation, turbulence is one of the most unpredictable atmospheric events, and while most events are just a minor inconvenience or jolt, it can be significant enough to cause damage to the aircraft or severe anxiety and even injury to its passengers on board,” writes Weather Network meteorologist Nadine Powell.
“Turbulence can be described as ‘the chaotic flow of air,’ with its most common causes being thunderstorms, weather fronts, mountains, or even daytime heating.”
Sometimes, it can be hard to predict, especially when conditions are clear. In aviation, this is known as ‘clear air turbulence,’ or CAT, Powell explains.
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