Cloud ‘Shot Up’ Just Before Severe Turbulence Struck, Report Says

“Shortly after the turbulence-related upset, the lead flight attendant informed the flight crew that there were multiple injuries in the cabin,” the report said. It added that a post-accident examination of the weather in the area “revealed that there was an occluded frontal system with an associated upper-level trough” moving toward the Hawaiian Islands.

The turbulence left 25 people injured — six of them seriously — on the Dec. 18 flight from Phoenix to Hawaii that had 281 passengers and 10 crew members, according to the report. Previously, officials said that three dozen people were injured, 11 of them seriously, and that there were 238 passengers aboard.

The turbulence struck about 40 minutes before the flight was scheduled to land at Honolulu International Airport. The plane sustained minor damage, though the report did not provide details.

Investigators said that satellite and weather radars, along with lightning data, showed that “strong cells” were in the area and that the National Weather Service had issued a warning for thunderstorms. There were no previous reports of severe turbulence before the incident, the report said.

The N.T.S.B. will continue to investigate and issue a final report, usually within 12 to 24 months, according to the agency.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/14/business/hawaii-airlines-turbulence-smoke.html