Seven injured on Qantas after turbulence

[flightnse]

Seven injured on Qantas after turbulence
AAP
June 22, 2009, 3:24 pm


Seven people have been injured as a Qantas plane struck severe turbulence on a flight from Hong Kong to Perth on Monday.

The Qantas A330-300 Airbus, with 206 passengers and 13 crew on board, was four hours out of Hong Kong when it hit an air pocket over Borneo, a Qantas spokesman said.

One passenger described the brief but terrifying plunge as "like falling out of a 30-storey building".

Although several passengers without their seatbelts fastened were hurled around the cabin, most of the injuries are believed to have been minor.

Michelle Knight, from Perth, who was travelling in a group of 12, including children, said a friend had been taken to hospital after slamming into the ceiling of the cabin.

"My friend Vicky has cracked her head on the roof," Ms Knight told AAP.

"She's got a big 'egg' on her head and has gone to hospital complaining of neck pain."

She said Vicky's children were also not strapped in when the plane dropped.

"They ended up in the aisle but they weren't injured," she said.

Ms Knight said there was some panic.

"There was a big flash of light outside the window. I thought it was like lightning but they (the crew) said it was just the lights reflecting on the clouds.

"Things went everywhere.

"It was pretty scary and everyone was sort of panicking for a second, not knowing what to do or expect next."

She said Qantas staff told passengers the plane had dropped about 100 feet (30 metres).

"It didn't last very long at all. It was quite bumpy all the way, but that up and down, was just that," she said.

Passenger Keith Huxtable said most people had their seat belts on at the time.

"It was about 2.30 in the morning and most people were trying to sleep," Mr Huxtable said.

"All of a sudden there was a bit of a jolt in the aircraft and then a little while later it sort of plunged as though it was going into sort of a hole and everything went upside down.

"It was dark... people screamed and then it seemed very uncertain as to what exactly had happened.

"The pilot and crew were excellent. I can't talk highly enough of them. They did very well."

Another passenger, John, said an elderly woman who was waiting at the restroom had "flown up and hit the ceiling and came crashing down to the floor".

"It was just a matter of a few seconds but it (the turbulence) was really sudden and things went flying...," he said.

John said the elderly woman who hit the ceiling was shaken, but uninjured.

"She was on the floor and she was just traumatised...," he said.

"I was trying to get off my feet and put her back onto the seat where I was sitting."

John said it felt as though the plane had "turned upside down" when it hit the air pocket.

"It appeared like we'd just dropped out of a 30-storey building," he said.

"It's going along and all of sudden it just feels as though one part of the plane is going one way and another is going the other way; it was quite amazing."

Qantas spokesman David Epstein said the Air Transport Safety Bureau was investigating the incident.

He said ambulance officers went on board the aircraft to treat the injured when it landed in Perth.

He said the pilot aboard QF68, Captain Brett Flack, had decided it was safe to fly onto Perth after the injuries had been reported back to medical authorities in Australia.

Mr Epstein said there had been no problems with the aircraft, which had only received some minor damage to two overhead panels.

"That the captain, who has more than 20 years of flying experience, was able to make the decision that he was able to fly on to Perth demonstrates his confidence in the aircraft," Mr Epstein said.

"There is nothing to link the aircraft to anything untoward."

[spongebob206]

Alarming how many Airbus's are taking a plunge.

[benwynn]

Taking a plunge?

Thats ridiculous, as is this article. You take many risks when you board an aeroplane, one of which is the risk of hitting turbulence. If its your choice to not wear your seatbelt and unexpected turbulence arrives, that is your fault and responsibility. The pilots aren't god, they dont know everything.

My point being, she had a sore head, thats about it. She didn't break her neck, she didn't crack her skull, and nobody died.

Just to top it all off, its an A333. Great... Does that mean the 747 is unsafe, the 737, and several other aircraft that have had accidents in the past? Until 2-3 aircraft of the same model plunge into the Atlantic after a large storm, I wont believe it, and I find it extremely annoying that the media is attempting to convince the traveling public of this.

[AlisterC]

I've just flown back from LA overnight on the 747, and kept my seatbelt on almost 12 hours. This could happen to any aircraft. Scary.