What happened
Approximately at 14:58 Pacific Standard Time, a commercial aircraft was climbing through an altitude of 35,500 feet when it encountered moderate to severe clear air turbulence. The turbulent conditions persisted for a duration of eight to ten seconds. As a result of the sudden movement, seven passengers and seven flight attendants sustained minor injuries.
The seat belt warning sign had been activated prior to takeoff and remained illuminated throughout the entire encounter. Post-incident reports from injured passengers revealed varying levels of compliance with safety instructions. Four individuals stated that their seat belts were completely off, while two admitted their belts were loose. One passenger had disregarded the warning signs entirely and was located in a lavatory at the time of the event. The injured flight attendants were preparing for cabin service duties and were not restrained.
Findings
A review of the airline's computer-generated flight plan data indicated that the maximum predicted turbulence index was light. However, meteorological data showed a CAT SIGMET valid for the period, which reported moderate turbulence at flight levels 360 to 370 over southern California in the Hector-Thermal area.
Safety message
The incident highlights the critical importance of remaining seated and securely fastened whenever the seat belt sign is illuminated, as clear air turbulence can occur without warning and may not be predicted by onboard systems.