SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Preliminary results of an investigation into a Singapore Airlines (OTC:) flight that encountered severe turbulence last week showed a rapid change in gravity and a 54-metre drop in altitude causing injuries, Singapore’s Transport Ministry said on Wednesday.
One passenger died of a suspected heart attack and dozens were injured after Singapore Airlines flight SQ321 from London to Singapore encountered what the airline described as sudden severe turbulence while flying over Myanmar. The ministry said the investigation is ongoing.
London-Singapore Flight SQ321, a Boeing (NYSE:) 777-300ER carrying 211 passengers and 18 crew, was diverted to Bangkok for an emergency landing after the aircraft encountered turbulence, causing passengers and crew to crew scattered throughout the cabin, some of them crashed into the cabin. ceiling.
“The aircraft experienced a rapid change in G (gravity force)… This likely caused passengers who were not wearing seat belts to become airborne,” the ministry said in a statement, citing a report from Singapore’s Transport Safety Investigation Bureau. .
“The vertical acceleration went from negative 1.5G to positive 1.5G within 4 seconds. This likely caused the airborne passengers to fall back down.
“Rapid changes in G over 4.6 seconds resulted in an altitude drop of 178 feet (54 m), from 37,362 feet to 37,184 feet. This sequence of events likely resulted in injuries to the crew and passengers,” the report said.
The report also said the pilot yelled that the “fasten seat seat belt” sign was on.