What happened
While en route at 31,000 feet, Eastern Airline Flight 791 encountered severe turbulence as the aircraft flew through the overhang of a thunderstorm. The encounter resulted in three serious injuries and 23 minor injuries among the passengers.
One passenger, aged 84, died 20 days after the accident. A medical examiner determined the cause of death was aspiration pneumonia and pneumothorax resulting from blunt trauma sustained during the commercial airline turbulence encounter. The examiner also noted that occlusive coronary atherosclerosis contributed to the death.
According to flight attendants, all injured passengers were either standing in the aisle or in the lavatories, or were seated without seat belts fastened. Although the seat belt sign had been illuminated since departure and flight attendants had briefed passengers to remain seated with belts fastened while the light was on, the crew indicated they had not enforced these instructions.