Fatal Turbulence Events
The following are events involving in flight turbulence where at least one jet airliner passenger was killed. Excluded are events involving only jet airliners designed or built in the states of the former Soviet Union.
- 10 May 1980; Indian Airlines 737-200; near Rampur Hat, India: The aircraft experienced severe en route turbulence. Two of the 132 passengers were killed.
- 7 October 1981; NLM CityHopper F28-4000; Moerdijk, Netherlands: Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft entered an area of severe thunderstorm activity. The aircraft apparently had a catastrophic in flight structural failure due to severe turbulence because it was seen to emerge from the clouds with one of its wings broken away. All four crew members and 13 passengers were killed.
- 16 August 1982; China Airlines 747; near Hong Kong: The aircraft encountered severe in flight turbulence. Two of the 292 passengers were killed.
- 3 October 1990; Eastern DC9-31; Florida, USA: The aircraft clear air turbulence at 31,000 feet (9450 m). One injured passenger died three weeks later.
- 5 September 1996; Air France 747-400; near Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso: Severe turbulence associated with a weather front seriously injured three of the 206 passengers. One of the three passengers later died of injuries caused by an in flight entertainment screen.
- 28 December 1997; United Airlines 747-100; over Pacific Ocean near Japan: The aircraft encountered severe turbulence during cruise about two hours after departing Japan. One of the 346 passengers was killed. None of the 23 crew members were killed but three sustained serious injuries.
Fatal Turbulence Events Since 1980
http://airsafe.com/events/turb.htm -- Revised: 7 September 2007
http://airsafe.com/events/turb.htm -- Revised: 7 September 2007
