Woman dead after private jet encountered severe turbulence over New England, NTSB says
7 hospitalized when Lufthansa flight hits severe turbulence
What is turbulence?
The FAA defines turbulence as “air movement created by atmospheric pressure, jet streams, air around mountains, cold or warm weather fronts or thunderstorms” that can give airplanes “a sudden jolt.”
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Severe turbulence and injuries
Passengers and flight crewmembers that aren’t buckled into their seat belts can sustain injuries, the FAA says. Data from the agency showed that turbulence resulted in 146 serious injuries from 2009 to 2021, 116 of which involved crewmembers. An NTSB report found turbulence accounted for 37.6% of accidents on commercial flights from 2009 to 2018.
The FAA said a serious injury is one that results in hospitalization for more than 48 hours, bone fractures, severe hemorrhages, involves internal organs or second-or third-degree burns.
The incident comes after seven travelers on a Lufthansa flight from Austin, Texas to Frankfurt, Germany were hospitalized after their flight hit a “brief but severe” patch of turbulence. In December, 36 people were injured after a Hawaiian Airlines flight from Phoenix to Honolulu was struck by severe turbulence.
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