Sudden 300-foot drop sparks panic, renewing focus on seat belts and turbulence alerts
For the 145 people aboard Air India flight AI2379, the journey from Phuket to Delhi turned without warning from an ordinary flight into a few seconds of terror as the aircraft suddenly dropped 300 feet in mid-air.
Although the aircraft regained altitude, 13 passengers and four crew members were injured. The passengers have since been discharged, while the four crew members remain under medical care.
A plunge of 300 feet may appear insignificant when an aircraft is cruising several kilometres above the ground. Inside the cabin, however, such numbers offer little comfort. A sudden drop creates the sickening sensation that the floor has disappeared from beneath one’s feet.
Sudden clear air turbulence (CAT) can lift people who have not fastened their seat belts out of their seats and hurl them against overhead panels, armrests or fellow travellers. Luggage and other loose objects can become projectiles, potentially injuring passengers. Such bewildering moments can naturally cause panic among passengers despite reassurances from the cockpit.
Nevertheless, the occurrence of clear air turbulence (CAT) is not uncommon. According to the US National Transportation Safety Board, turbulence accounted for more than one-third of accidents involving large commercial air carriers between 2009 and 2018, usually causing serious injuries without damaging the aircraft. Flight attendants accounted for 78.9 per cent of those seriously injured.
These data also explain why the familiar instruction to keep seat belts fastened deserves more than casual observance. As unexpected turbulence may offer little warning, airlines must not treat the seat-belt announcement as a routine recording.
Better forecasts, prompt cockpit warnings and procedures that allow cabin crew members to take their seats earlier can prevent a frightening event from becoming a medical emergency. The DGCA should, therefore, thoroughly investigate the matter and recommend measures to ensure that airlines continue to learn from such incidents.
