What happened
On 11 July 2019, an Air Canada Boeing 777-233LR, registered as C-FNNH, was performing a long-haul flight from Vancouver International Airport to Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport. The aircraft was carrying 269 passengers and 15 crew members. The flight path was intended to cross the Pacific Ocean with a scheduled duration of over 14 hours.
During the initial stages of the flight, weather conditions were favorable, with no significant weather expected along the route. However, while near the ADOWA waypoint—roughly 640 nautical miles southwest of Honolulu—the aircraft encountered severe turbulence at flight level 340. The event lasted between 10 and 15 seconds. Because the seatbelt sign was not illuminated at the time, the sudden movement caused several passengers and cabin crew members to be thrown against the cabin ceiling.
In the aftermath of the turbulence, the flight crew diverted the aircraft to Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu. During the two-hour diversion, medical professionals on board assisted in providing first aid to those injured. To prepare for the emergency landing, the crew performed a fuel dump and coordinated with ground emergency services.
The investigation
Investigators examined the aircraft's digital flight data recorder, which indicated that no significant turbulence occurred immediately before or after the specific encounter. A subsequent maintenance inspection of the aircraft was performed to check for structural or mechanical issues following the severe-turbulence event, and no faults were identified. The investigation also noted damage to various interior cabin furnishings and components where passengers and crew had struck them during the turbulence.
Findings
- The encounter with severe turbulence resulted in 37 injuries, consisting of 31 passengers and 6 cabin crew members, involving various cuts, bruises, strains, and sprains.
- The primary cause of the injuries was the sudden impact of passengers and crew against the cabin interior during the period of severe turbulence.