What happened
On 9 March 2014, a scheduled passenger flight operated by a Boeing 737-8AS, registration EI-EKB, was traveling from Krakow, Poland, to Edinburgh, Scotland. Approximately 40 minutes before arrival, a cabin crew member was working in the rear galley area, assisting with the stowage of a catering trolley. During this process, the crew member fell, striking the metal frame of a cabin crew seat before hitting the galley floor.
While the crew member initially reported feeling fine and continued his duties for the remainder of the flight and the return leg, he later developed significant back pain and respiratory symptoms. Following a period of leave, a medical examination and X-ray revealed a fractuna of the transverse process of the right vertebra L1.
The investigation
The AAIU examined the circumstances of the fall and the subsequent medical developments. Flight data monitoring (OFDM) showed no significant turbulence during the flight, recording only a minor vertical acceleration of 1.11 g, which may have contributed to a loss of balance. The investigation also reviewed the communication between the cabin crew and the flight deck. It was established that while the senior cabin crew member was informed of the fall, the aircraft commander was not notified because the injured crew member stated he could continue working.
Due to the delay in reporting the incident to the operator—which occurred several weeks after the event—the cockpit voice and flight data recorders had been overwritten, preventing a more detailed analysis of the exact moment of the fall.