Rapid change in gravitational force and 54-metre altitude plunge caused injuries on Singapore Airlines flight

Preliminary findings from the Singapore Airlines crash investigation severe turbulence show a rapid change in gravitational force and a fall from a height of 54 meters caused by injuries.

A 73-year-old passenger died of a suspected heart attack, and dozens were injured. including 12 Australians and a permanent residentafter flight SQ321, from London to Singapore, encountered what the airline described as sudden, extreme turbulence over Myanmar.

The May 21 flight of a Boeing 777-300ER carrying 211 passengers, including 56 Australians, and 18 crew members was diverted to Bangkok after the plane was hit by turbulence that scattered passengers and crew around the cabin, knocking some into the ceiling .

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“The aircraft experienced a rapid change in G (gravitational force) … This likely caused the passengers, who were not wearing seat belts, to eject,” the transport ministry said in a statement on the Transport Safety Bureau’s report.

“The vertical acceleration changed from negative 1.5G to positive 1.5G within four seconds.

“This likely caused the passengers who were in the air to fall,” it said, citing information gleaned from flight data and cockpit voice recorders.

“Rapid changes in G lasting 4.6 seconds resulted in an altitude drop of 178 feet (54 m), from 37,362 feet to 37,184 feet. This series of events likely caused the injuries to the crew and passengers.

Shocked passengers described scenes of chaos in the minutes after the accident, with turbulence throwing people up and then into the walkway, many of them left bleeding and with head injuries.

Australian passenger Keith Davies recalled being thrown to the ceiling for “literally seconds” as the plane descended, leaving him with cuts and bruises and his wife Kerry Jordan needing emergency spinal surgery.

Photos of the cabin show gashes in the upper cabin panels, oxygen masks and panels hanging from the ceiling, and luggage strewn about.

A passenger said some people’s heads hit lights above the seats and broke the panels.

Singapore Airlines said it acknowledged the report and was cooperating fully with the investigation.

“We are committed to supporting our passengers and crew members who were on board SQ321 that day, as well as their families and loved ones,” it said in a statement on Wednesday.

Late on Tuesday, the airline said 42 people who were on board the flight were still in Bangkok, including 26 passengers receiving medical treatment in hospital.

Among those initially hospitalized were patients with spinal cord injuries and some with brain and skull injuries, according to Thai medical officials.

The preliminary report said the flight, which encountered slight vibrations, had an uncommanded increase in altitude, causing the autopilot to pitch the plane down.

The pilots sensed an increase in airspeed and responded by applying the speedbrakes.

“While operating the airspeed … a pilot was heard to call out that the seat belt sign was on,” the release said.

The investigative team consisted of Singaporean investigators, Boeing representatives, and United States officials from the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration.

Singapore’s Ministry of Transport said the investigation was ongoing.

– AP with AAP