What happened
On 16 January 2020, an Emirates Airbus A380-861, registered A6-EEN, was operating a scheduled passenger service from Dubai to Johannesburg. While cruising at flight level 400 within the Beira Flight Information Region in Mozambique, the aircraft encountered moderate to severe turbulence. The disturbance lasted approximately 30 seconds. While the aircraft's automated systems, including autopilot and autothrust, remained stable without operational exceedances, the sudden movement caused one passenger on the upper deck to suffer a serious injury because they were not secured.
The investigation
The UAE Air Accident Investigation Sector (AAIS) conducted the inquiry, involving the manufacturer's representative from Airbus and the operator. Investigators examined the flight's history, meteorological data, and the aircraft's performance during the event. The investigation reviewed the weather radar data, which had previously indicated areas of wet turbulence ahead of the flight path, and analyzed the flight crew's response to the changing weather conditions. The inquiry also looked into the cabin environment and the status of the seat belt sign during the encounter.
Findings
- The aircraft encountered turbulence at an altitude of 40,000 feet.
- Meteorological charts had forecasted convective activity and embedded cumulonimbus clouds up to 52,000 feet in the area.
- The weather radar had displayed magenta spots indicating wet turbulence approximately 40 nautical miles ahead of the aircraft prior to the encounter.
- The severe turbulence was the direct cause of the passenger's injury.
- The injury occurred because the passenger was unsecured during the period of instability.