AP’s HONOLULU In a final report released Thursday, the National Transportation Safety Board stated that the likely cause of the strong turbulence that wounded passengers and crew members in 2022 was a Hawaiian Airlines flight crew’s choice to fly over a dangerous storm cell rather than avoiding it.
The flight from Phoenix to Honolulu on December 18, 2022, resulted in three passengers and one crew member suffering severe injuries. There were twenty injuries.
The article claims that one of the crew members compared it as a volcano explosion. A traveler stated that she was flung suddenly to the floor after flying face-first into the restroom ceiling after leaving her seat to use the restroom. According to the investigation, there was damage to the cabin, including damaged flight attendant handsets, a fractured overhead light, and missing ceiling panels.
When a cloud rose vertically in front of the jet like a plume of smoke, the pilot informed investigators in a prior preliminary report that the flight circumstances were clear and smooth, and there was no time to alter the route.
According to Thursday’s bulletin, isolated thunderstorms and unstable air conditions were predicted at the time. The assessment concluded that, despite weather data suggesting the likelihood of severe turbulence, the flight crew’s choice to fly over an observable storm cell rather than avoid it was the most likely cause of the tragedy.
In response to an email asking for comment on the claim, a Hawaiian Airlines representative said he will follow up with The Associated Press.
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