Incident Overview
On August 11, 2024, Norwegian Air Shuttle flight NSZ2961, operating a Boeing 737-8 MAX with registration SE-RYC, experienced a severe turbulence event while en route from Rodes to Helsinki-Vantaa. The aircraft departed at 02:27 local time, delayed by 33 minutes due to air traffic control restrictions for the return flight. The crew consisted of two pilots and four cabin crew members, with 117 passengers on board.
Operational Context
The flight was originally routed via Swedish airspace. Before entering Polish airspace, the captain requested a direct routing over the Baltic states to save time, which was granted by air traffic control. During the descent phase for Helsinki, the captain assumed pilot flying duties and adjusted the heading approximately five degrees to the right of the Flight Management System (FMS) calculated course. This maneuver was intended to bypass a thunderstorm or heavy rain cloud visible on the weather radar to the left of the flight path. The heading was subsequently adjusted an additional two degrees to the right to further avoid the storm.
Turbulence Encounter
As the aircraft descended to approximately 28,000 feet, it entered turbulent air. The event began with two minor jolts, followed by a significant change in flight path involving a sharp descent. The autopilot system automatically disengaged during this sequence. The aircraft experienced strong vertical velocity fluctuations, moving rapidly up and down. This severe turbulence resulted in injuries to two members of the cabin crew.
Investigation Details
The Finnish Transport Safety Agency (Traficom) conducted the investigation under case number L2024-01. The investigation team was led by Juho Posio, with Janne Kotiranta serving as the head of aviation accident investigations. Authorized representatives from the Swedish Transport Agency (SHK), the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and a technical advisor from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) participated in the inquiry. The report was published on June 13, 2025.