What happened
On 25 July 2021, a Boeing 737-800, registered SE-RPE, operated by Norwegian Air Sweden, was performing a commercial passenger flight from Copenhagen-Kastrup to Nice Côte d’Azur. While navigating through Italian airspace, the flight crew was actively performing avoidance maneuvers to bypass several storm cells.
During the descent, the crew observed developing storm clouds and lightning. Despite the crew's efforts to maintain a safe distance, the aircraft encountered a sudden and violent period of turbulence. The aircraft experienced significant vertical accelerations, reaching up to 1.79 g, and a roll angle of approximately 35.5°. The impact was accompanied by heavy precipitation and hail hitting the windshield.
During the turbulence, the aircraft's airspeed fluctuated significantly. The flight crew was forced to disconnect the autopilot and autothrust to manage the aircraft's stability. In the aft galley, the sudden lateral and vertical motions caused a cabin crew member to be thrown against the aircraft structure, resulting in a broken leg, while another crew member sustained an ankle injury. The aircraft subsequently performed an emergency landing at Nice, where medical personnel met the aircraft to treat the injured.