What happened
On 24 September 2016, a Transavia aircraft was operating a scheduled flight from Amsterdam Schiphol to Palma de Mallorca, Spain. During the flight, the crew encountered a rapidly developing thunderstorm. Due to a lack of updated weather data and insufficient training on the aircraft's advanced weather radar, the pilots only became aware of the storm's intensity approximately forty seconds before the impact.
As the aircraft entered the convective activity, the pilots activated the 'fasten seatbelts' sign. At that moment, three cabin attendants located in the rear of the aircraft stood up to secure equipment and check passenger seatbelts. The aircraft then encountered heavy turbulence, causing the three crew members to fall. The impact resulted in three serious injuries, including bone fractures and a perforated lung. A fourth crew member, seated in the forward section of the cabin, was not injured.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the failure to detect the thunderstorm in advance and the subsequent medical response at the destination. Investigators found that while weather information had been gathered the previous night, the pilots were not using the most recent updates for this specific leg of the journey. Furthermore, the onboard weather radar was not utilized to its full potential because not all pilots had received adequate training on the device.
Regarding the ground response, the investigation noted significant delays in medical assistance. Although the captain had requested three ambulances and a doctor prior to landing, the first ambulance arrived 10 minutes after touchdown, and the second arrived 2/4 of an hour later. The requested doctor and third ambulance never arrived, as the airport's medical resources were diverted to a separate medical emergency.
Findings
- The primary cause of the injuries was the unexpected encounter with heavy turbulence caused by a thunderstorm.
- The pilots were operating with outdated weather information, as the dispatch process had not provided the latest meteorological updates for the third flight of the day.
- The onboard weather radar was not effectively used due to a lack of pilot training.
- The cabin crew's attempt to secure the cabin during the onset of turbulence placed them in a vulnerable position.
- Medical response capabilities at Palma de Mallorca Airport were insufficient to meet the needs of the incident, as the airport's emergency plan lacked specific provisions for wounded persons arriving on aircraft.
Safety action
Following the incident, Transavia updated its turbulence procedures to include specific instructions for cabin crew on how to quickly make themselves safe during unexpected movements. The airline also implemented a new briefing system to ensure flight crews have access to real-time weather data. While the Spanish civil aviation authorities maintained that existing regulations were met, the Dutch Safety Board noted that the airport's emergency planning regarding ambulance availability and medical personnel for aircraft-related injuries remained inadequate.