Airbus A350-1041 G-XWBL Serious Incident: Unexpected Turbulence Injuries

Incident Overview and Flight Details On 22 January 2023 at 0519 UTC, an Airbus A350-1041 with registration G-XWBL, operated by a commercial passenger airline, encountered unexpected turbulence while cruising at flight level 360 and Mach 0.85 over the coast of North Africa. The aircraft, manufactured in 2021 (serial number 547), was powered by two Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 turbofan engines. The flight carried 15 crew members and 323 passengers. ## Injuries and Immediate Response During the turbulence event, a cabin crew member in the galley was lifted off their feet while moving to dispose of a cup of hot tea. Upon falling, the crew member sustained injuries to their shoulder and hip. A second cabin crew member received a minor cut to their ankle from fragments of the shattered ceramic cup. The flight crew immediately activated the seatbelt signs, which remained illuminated until the cabin was confirmed secure. After receiving medical advice, the commander elected to continue to the planned destination, where the seriously injured crew member was transported to a hospital. Medical evaluation later revealed a badly bruised shoulder and two pelvic fractures. ## Recorded Data and Analysis Flight data recordings confirmed the turbulence lasted 20 seconds, with vertical g-loading varying between 0 G and +1.47 G. The aircraft's speed briefly reached Mach 0.892, exceeding the maximum operating Mach number (MMO) of Mach 0.89 for less than one second. This triggered a Master Warning, though the maximum Mach reached did not activate the specific MMO warning (trigger threshold Mach 0.896). Altitude varied between 35,950 ft and 36,080 ft, with vertical speeds ranging from +1,100 ft/min to -1,460 ft/min. The autopilot remained engaged throughout the event, and post-flight analysis confirmed no load exceedances occurred. ## Commander's Observation The commander noted that while wearing a seatbelt would not have prevented the injury in this specific instance, the event served as a reminder that unexpected turbulence is a normal operating hazard. The commander emphasized that wearing seatbelts when seated is a sensible precaution, even when seatbelt signs are not illuminated.