Eurowings A319 near Berlin on Sep 9th 2019, turbulence causes injuries

Last Update: November 5, 2020 / 16:54:21 GMT/Zulu time

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Photo of Eurowings D-AKNL, Airbus A319 — Eurowings D-AKNL, Airbus A319 (Photo credit: Andrei Dimofte / Flickr / License: CC by)

Incident Facts

Date of incident
Sep 9, 2019

Classification
Accident

Cause
Turbulence

Airline
Eurowings

Flight number
EW-8855

Departure
Lamezia-Terme, Italy

Destination
Berlin Tegel, Germany

Aircraft Registration
D-AKNL

Aircraft Type
Airbus A319

ICAO Type Designator
A319

Airport
Berlin-Tegel International Airport, Berlin

Airport ICAO Code
EDDT

An Eurowings Airbus A319-100, registration D-AKNL performing flight EW-8855 from Lamezia-Terme (Italy) to Berlin Tegel (Germany) with 112 passengers and 5 crew, was descending towards Berlin about 20 minutes prior to estimated landing when the crew illuminted the fasten seat belt signs and made the according announcement advising passengers to make their seat belts were fastened, when the aircraft encountered turbulence causing injuries to 3 cabin crew and 5 passengers. The aircraft continued for a safe landing on Tegel's runway 26R. Emergency were awaiting the aircraft.

Emergency services reported there was one serious but not life threatening injury and 7 minor injuries, 6 of the injured were taken to a hospital.

The airline reported the crew spotted clouds ahead and activated the fasten seat belt signs, then made the related announcement. While they were still making the announcment the aircraft already encountered turbulence.

On Sep 30th 2019 Germany's BFU reported the occurrence had been rated an accident and is being investigated by the BFU. One passenger received serious injuries in the occurrence, the aircraft remained undamaged.

On Nov 27th 2019 Germany's BFU reported in their September bulletin, that 3 crew members and 4 passengers received minor injuries, one passenger received serious injuries.

The aircraft had been cleared to descend to FL140. The aircraft was descending towards a cloud layer which prompted the crew to activate the weather radar at about FL250, only small green returns outside the aircraft's trajectoy were displayed. Descending through FL244 the captain decided to illuminate the fasten seat belt signs, cabin crew immediately made an according announcement. About 8 seconds, after the announcement ended, the aircraft was descending through FL233 and was still above the cloud layer, the aircraft experienced severe turbulence causing a vertical acceleration of -0.6G, the aircraft briefly climbed at 700 fpm while in a generic descent.

Flight attendants reported that two of them had impacted the cabin ceiling with their heads, another flight attendant had received an injury to her finger, one passenger had also impacted the cabin ceiling. The crew requested medical assistance to meet the aircraft on landing.

Shortly after descending into the cloud layer the weather radar returns changed to yellow and red showing larger areas of precipitation. The aircraft continued for a landing without further incident.

On Nov 5th 2020 the BFU released their final factual report just stating the facts (as already seen above) and detailed weather representation, however, without analysis or conclusions.

Metars:
EDDT 091650Z 31006KT 260V350 4000 -RA BKN006 14/13 Q1009 RERA TEMPO 2500 RA BKN004=
EDDT 091620Z 32005KT 290V350 3500 RA BKN004 OVC015 14/13 Q1009 TEMPO 2500 RA=
EDDT 091550Z 30004KT 4200 -RADZ BKN004 BKN013 14/14 Q1009 NOSIG=
EDDT 091520Z 32003KT 290V020 4700 -DZ BKN004 14/13 Q1009 NOSIG=
EDDT 091450Z 33005KT 300V360 4200 -DZ BKN004 14/13 Q1009 NOSIG=
EDDT 091420Z 33004KT 290V360 9999 -RADZ BKN005 OVC025 14/14 Q1009 NOSIG=
EDDT 091350Z 35004KT 320V030 9999 -DZ FEW005 OVC025 14/13 Q1009 NOSIG=
EDDT 091320Z 36003KT 310V070 7000 -RA SCT005 SCT018 OVC030 14/13 Q1009 NOSIG=
EDDT 091250Z 02005KT 320V100 4000 -RADZ BKN005 OVC023 14/13 Q1009 RERA TEMPO 6000 SCT005=
EDDT 091220Z VRB04KT 4000 -RADZ BKN007 BKN020 14/13 Q1009 TEMPO 6000 SCT005=
EDDT 091150Z 02005KT 330V050 9999 -RADZ FEW007 OVC033 14/13 Q1009 TEMPO BKN007=
EDDT 091120Z 01005KT 310V060 7000 -RADZ FEW007 OVC037 15/14 Q1009 TEMPO BKN007=
EDDT 091050Z 03006KT 340V070 8000 -RADZ FEW007 OVC033 15/13 Q1010 TEMPO BKN007=