What happened
The flight was operating in the vicinity of several thunderstorms when it encountered turbulence characterized as heavy or severe, approximately 20 to 25 minutes prior to landing. At this time, flight attendants were engaged in retrieving cups and trash following the conclusion of a hot meal service.
During the encounter with the turbulent air mass, one attendant was thrown upward, striking the ceiling of the cabin before falling to the floor. The impact resulted in a lower back injury. The flight attendants reported that they had not received any specific warning regarding the intensity of the turbulence immediately preceding the event.
The investigation
Investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident revealed conflicting accounts regarding safety protocols and crew communication. A public address announcement had been made early in the flight indicating that turbulence was expected and that the seat belt sign would remain illuminated throughout the duration of the trip.
The captain had instructed the attendants to proceed with the scheduled meal service. The senior attendant stated that she had been told earlier in the flight by the captain that she could exercise discretion in having other attendants take their seats due to turbulence, and that the captain would make a public address announcement if the weather conditions worsened.
However, the senior attendant also noted that she felt she would have faced termination if she chose not to provide the meal service for safety reasons. The flight attendants collectively stated that no additional warnings were provided prior to the onset of the severe turbulence.
Findings
The injury was directly caused by the sudden and severe nature of the turbulence encountered while the crew was standing in the cabin. The situation highlights the risks associated with conducting service operations during periods of known or expected meteorological instability, particularly when communication regarding safety discretion is ambiguous.