J-Air E170 near Tokyo on Apr 29th 2014, turbulence injures flight attendants

Last Update: May 28, 2015 / 14:05:44 GMT/Zulu time

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Photo of J-Air JA211J, Embraer ERJ-170 — J-Air JA211J, Embraer ERJ-170 (Photo credit: Hyougushi / Flickr / License: CC by-sa)

Incident Facts

Date of incident
Apr 29, 2014

Classification
Accident

Cause
Turbulence injures flight attendant

Airline
J-Air

Flight number
XM-1252

Departure
Yamagata, Japan

Destination
Tokyo Haneda, Japan

Aircraft Registration
JA211J

Aircraft Type
Embraer ERJ-170

ICAO Type Designator
E170

Airport
Tokyo International Airport, Tokyo

Airport ICAO Code
RJTT

A J-Air Embraer ERJ-170, registration JA211J performing flight XM-1252 from Yamagata to Tokyo Haneda (Japan) with 35 passengers and 4 crew, was descending through FL100 on approach to Haneda Airport at about 09:45L (00:45Z) when the aircraft encountered severe turbulence causing a serious injury (fracture of right hip) to one of the flight attendants and minor injuries (bruises) to the other, when both of them were thrown against the cabin ceiling. The aircraft continued for a safe landing at Haneda Airport about 20 minutes later, the seriously injured flight attendant was taken to a hospital.

Japan's Ministry of Transport reported the captain of the flight reported the aircraft encountered wake turbulence from another aircraft. Japan's TSB have opened an investigation into the accident.

On May 28th 2015 Japan's Transportation Safety Board (JTSB) released their final report concuding the probable cause of the accident was:

It is probable that this accident occurred by the shaking of the Aircraft which encountered the strong wake turbulence from the Preceding Aircraft while the Aircraft was descending; accordingly, two cabin attendants in the aft galley fell down and one of them was seriously injured.

It is probable that the strong wake turbulence that the Aircraft encountered persisted longer than usual because of the stable weather condition with calm wind.

The aircraft was following the standard arrival route into Tokyo maintaining FL110, then received instruction to descend to 8000 feet and reduce to 230 KIAS. The aircraft began to descend, at about 10,800 feet there was a minor upset, at 10,600 feet a large oscillation occurred producing vertical acceleration from +0.61 to 1.64G over a period of 10 seconds, the aircraft rolled left, the lateral acceleration reached 0.32G. The crew disengaged autopilot, continued to use autothrust, and applied right ailerons stopped the roll to the left at 58 degrees bank angle and subsequently rolling the wings level again, subsequently returning the aircraft onto the assigned heading that had changed by 25 degrees to the left.

As result of the upset one flight attendant received serious and another flight attendant minor injuries. The aircraft did not receive any damage.

The JTSB reported that the preceding aircraft had been an Airbus A340-600, that had maintained FL110 about 10nm ahead of the E170. Regulations required that the horizontal separation between the A346 and the E170 is at or above 5nm for wake turbulence avoidance, if the trailing lighter aircraft was at the same altitude or less than 1000 feet below the leading aircraft.

The JTSB analysed: "while it is probable that a big shake of the Aircraft caused the injuries of the cabin attendants, it is probable that the flight crew members conducted the recovery operation of the unexpected unusual attitude of the Aircraft properly."

Metars:
RJTT 290200Z 11005KT 9999 FEW020 BKN180 19/12 Q1019 NOSIG RMK 1CU020 7AC180 A3009
RJTT 290130Z 13005KT 9999 FEW020 BKN180 19/12 Q1019 NOSIG RMK 1CU020 7AC180 A3010
RJTT 290100Z 12008KT 9999 FEW020 BKN180 18/13 Q1019 NOSIG RMK 1CU020 7AC180 A3010
RJTT 290030Z 09005KT 050V120 9999 FEW020 SCT030 BKN/// 19/12 Q1019 NOSIG RMK 1CU020 3SC030 A3009
RJTT 290000Z 03003KT 360V060 9999 FEW020 BKN/// 19/12 Q1019 NOSIG RMK 1CU020 A3009
RJTT 282330Z 01005KT 9999 FEW020 BKN/// 18/12 Q1018 NOSIG RMK 1CU020 A3009
RJTT 282300Z 35005KT 240V020 9999 FEW020 BKN/// 18/12 Q1018 NOSIG RMK 1CU020 A3008
RJTT 282230Z 29006KT 260V320 9999 FEW025 SCT140 18/12 Q1018 NOSIG RMK 1CU025 4AC140 A3007
RJTT 282200Z 29007KT 9999 FEW025 SCT120 BKN140 17/11 Q1018 NOSIG RMK 1CU025 3AC120 5AC140 A3006
RJTT 282130Z 28006KT CAVOK 17/11 Q1017 NOSIG