Easyjet A319 near Madrid on Sep 21st 2014, jolt injures cabin crew

Last Update: February 1, 2017 / 23:40:03 GMT/Zulu time

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Photo of Easyjet G-EZIX, Airbus A319 — Easyjet G-EZIX, Airbus A319 (Photo credit: airlines470 / Flickr / License: CC by-sa)

Incident Facts

Date of incident
Sep 21, 2014

Classification
Accident

Airline
Easyjet

Flight number
U2-7103

Departure
Liverpool, United Kingdom

Destination
Madrid, Spain

Aircraft Registration
G-EZIX

Aircraft Type
Airbus A319

ICAO Type Designator
A319

An Easyjet Airbus A319-100, registration G-EZIX performing flight U2-7103 from Liverpool,EN (UK) to Madrid,SP (Spain) with 153 passengers and 6 crew, was descending through FL150 towards Madrid when the aircraft experienced an unexpected jolt. A flight attendant broke the wrist of her left hand as result of the jolt, three more flight attendants received minor injuries. The aircraft continued for a safe landing at Madrid, the seriously injured flight attendant was taken to a hospital.

On Oct 6th 2014 Spain's CIAIAC reported an investigation has been opened into the occurrence.

On Oct 8th 2014 the French BEA reported in their weekly bulletin that the flight attendant received a wrist fracture as result of a possible turbulence.

On Nov 20th 2015 Spain's CIAIAC stated in an interim note, that the investigation has been completed, the final report into the accident is to be published soon. Over a period of 7 seconds the flight data recorder recorded variations of vertical acceleration between +1.6G and +0.7G accompanied by lateral oscillations when the aircraft was descending through FL150 towards Madrid. The flight attendant at the aft galley broke the left wrist as result of the turbulence encounter, was attended at Madrid and returned to the airport of origin.

On Feb 1st 2017 the CIAIAC released their final report concluding the probable causes of the accident were:

The accident was caused when the airplane encountered strong turbulence that had not been detected by the flight crew.

The CIAIAC reported the flight crew illuminated the fasten seat belt signs and instructed cabin crew to prepare the cabin for landing while descending towards Madrid. The CIAIAC wrote subsequently: "During the descent before landing, and after passing through FL150, it crossed a layer of cumulus clouds some 2,000 ft thick that caused the aircraft to fall and shake suddenly. As a result, the four flight attendants, who were securing the passenger cabin, fell to the loor, receiving bruises in the process. One of the flight attendants broke the scaphoid bone in her wrist while remained in the rear galley of the passenger cabin."

The seriously injured flight attendant was taken care of by medical services after landing and was able to transfer home on the return flight.

The CIAIAC reported that there had been no pilot reports of turbulences prior to the occurrence. The flight crew did have adequate weather information.

The CIAIAC reported the aircraft did not sustain any damage, a structural inspection was not required as the load factors remained below the limits.

The captain (48, ATPL, 14,800 hours total, 455 hours on type) was supported by a first officer (24, CPL, 3,800 hours total, 310 hours on type).

The CIAIAC analysed:

As the crew stated, the flight was taking place in instrument meteorological conditions. Just two minutes after turning on the seat belt sign, the flight crew asked ATC if they could turn 10° left due to weather, which ATC authorized. A minute later the aircraft was experiencing the initial effects of convective turbulence while lying at an altitude of 14,084 feet and crossing a layer of cumulus clouds. After three minutes and descending to 11,300 ft, the turbulence subsided.

When the turbulence started, the four cabin crew were busy in the middle and aft parts of the aircraft securing the cabin. The violence of the jolts was such that they were thrown into the furniture, and some even against the ceiling. The event injured one of the flight attendants who was in the aft part of the cabin, who was diagnosed with a broken right wrist.

The CIAIAC analysed: "The weather information gathered by investigators shows a storm cell in the area where the turbulence occurred. Spain’s aviation weather service had also published a significant low-level weather chart that called for the presence of cumulus and towering cumulus clouds. This significant chart was not part of the information used to plan the flight, though it is made available to all operators in general."