What happened
On 17 January 2000, a scheduled passenger flight operating between Gothenburg and Oslo experienced significant weather disturbances. The aircraft, a Fokker F27 MK050 with registration SE-LFB, was flying in the airspace over Bohuslาน, Sweden, during the evening hours. The flight was operating under conditions of heavy northerly winds, with a known SIGMET in effect for severe turbulence between 4,000 and 13,000 feet in the vicinity of Gothenburg.
During the flight, the crew had already encountered turbulence shortly after departing Oslo, which kept the seat belt sign illuminated for several minutes. As the aircraft approached Gothenburg, the crew was in the process of stowing service carts in the aft galley. Approximately ten minutes before the scheduled landing, a sudden and severe bout of turbulence struck the aircraft. The impact caused a cabin attendant, who was leaning forward to secure a cart, to be thrown into the air and land forcefully on her back. The impact resulted in three separate fractures to her right ankle.
Due to the nature of the injury, the crew decided the attendant should remain on the floor for the remainder of the descent. The aircraft landed safely at the terminal, where medical personnel met the flight to transport the injured crew member to a hospital.
The investigation
The investigation examined the weather conditions, the flight's operational sequence, and the cabin crew's activities prior to the impact. Investigators noted that the commander had flown the route earlier that day and was aware of the expected turbulence. To mitigate the risk of overspeeding due to the heavy winds, the pilot chose to fly the approach manually.
Findings
- The primary cause of the injury was the sudden severe shaking caused by turbulence, which led to the cabin attendant losing her balance and falling.
- The shortened flight duration, caused by a strong tailwind, left the cabin crew with insufficient time to complete the full service program and return to their seats to fasten their own seat belts before the descent.
Safety action
- The investigation highlighted concerns regarding the safety of attempting a full service program on short-duration flights when turbulent weather is anticipated, suggesting that such procedures should be re-evaluated to ensure crew safety.