Understanding the G-Force That Threw Passengers on Orlando Flight
CENIPA report details gravity spikes that disengaged the autopilot and left passengers injured on a flight to the United States.
The Center for Investigation and Prevention of Aeronautical Accidents (CENIPA) has released its final report on the severe turbulence encountered by an Azul flight traveling from Campinas to Orlando. The document details that the aircraft recorded vertical acceleration peaks of +1.78 G and -0.35 G, which threw four unbuckled passengers from their seats. The incident occurred over the Amazon and resulted in serious injuries to one of the people on board.
How the incident over the Amazon unfolded
On November 28, 2022, the Airbus A330 took off from Viracopos bound for Orlando with 14 crew members and between 193 and 197 passengers. Nearly three hours after takeoff, at an altitude of approximately 11 kilometers (38,000 feet) and 215 nautical miles from Manaus, the pilots identified storm clouds on the radar. They deviated from their route and turned on the fasten seatbelt sign. Just 40 seconds after the alert, the airplane entered an area of severe turbulence that lasted 55 seconds.
The gravitational force that struck the aircraft
During the instability event, the aircraft experienced abrupt upward and downward movements caused by air currents. The flight data recorder registered vertical acceleration peaks of +1.78 G and -0.35 G. This extreme variation in G-force caused the autopilot to disconnect automatically after system limits were exceeded. The captain took manual control and managed to stabilize the plane, re-engaging the autopilot 45 seconds later.
Injuries sustained by passengers
Four passengers who were not wearing seatbelts were thrown from their seats. A passenger seated in 25D suffered serious injuries: she was propelled upward, struck the armrest, and fell into the aisle, resulting in fractures to her right wrist and the L2 lumbar vertebra. Three other passengers sustained minor injuries: one suffered an abdominal contusion (seat 35C) and two suffered head contusions (seats 26G and 28D), with one of them hitting the cabin ceiling. An orthopedic doctor traveling on the flight provided first aid, and the plane landed normally in Orlando. All crew members and passengers who were wearing seatbelts were unharmed.
What the CENIPA investigation says
The CENIPA investigation released this Friday (21) ruled out any mechanical failure in the Airbus A330 or operational error by the crew. Tests conducted the following day confirmed that all equipment, including the onboard radar, was functioning perfectly. The report explained that onboard radar does not detect turbulence directly, but rather the moisture within clouds. Since the tops of storms in the Amazon region are typically composed of ice crystals, radar reflectivity is weak, making it difficult to pinpoint the exact hazard on the screen.
Flight safety recommendations
The CENIPA report included recommendations for the National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) focused on passenger awareness. The agency recommends campaigns reinforcing the importance of keeping seatbelts fastened at all times while seated, even when the seatbelt sign is turned off. The document cites international data showing that, across 111 turbulence accidents analyzed in the United States, 123 people suffered serious injuries, and only one of them was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the incident.
With information from A Crítica de Campo Grande, CNN Brasil.
Source: A Crítica de Campo Grande, CNN Brasil