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| Title: | Severe turbulence, Boeing 777-236, G-YMME |
| Micro summary: | This Boeing 777-236 experienced severe turbulence on approach. |
| Event Time: | 2003-07-03 at 0300 UTC |
| File Name: | 2003-07-03-UK.pdf |
| Publishing Agency: | Aircraft Accident Investigation Board (AAIB) |
| Publishing Country: | United Kingdom |
| Report number: | EW/G2003/07/10 |
| Pages: | 2 |
| Site of event: | Cruse, near KINDU, FL370 |
| Departure: | London Heathrow Airport, London, England, United Kingdom |
| Destination: | Harare International Airport, Harare, Zimbabwe |
| Airplane Type(s): | Boeing 777-236 |
| Flight Phase: | Approach |
| Registration(s): | G-YMME |
| Operator(s): | British Airways |
| Type of flight: | Revenue |
| Occupants: | 262 |
| Fatalities: | 3 |
| Serious Injuries: | 0 |
| Minor/Non-Injured: | 259 |
| Other Injuries: | 0 |
| Executive Summary: | The aircraft was on a flight from London to Harare and was approaching the airway reporting point KINDU, situated over central Africa, at FL370. Some intermittent light turbulence had been encountered approximately one hour earlier whilst navigating around isolated storm activity, associated with the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone, but the aircraft had since experienced smooth flying conditions. The captain (the commander) was in a crew bunk on his rest break whilst two first officers remained on the flight deck. Although it was dark, the operating pilots could see that they were clear of cloud due to the stars visible to them in the night's sky. Also, they were both monitoring the weather radar which showed no sign of weather activity affecting their route. With the flying conditions smooth and no indications of turbulence ahead, the seat belt signs had been off for some time. As it was night the lights in the cabin had been dimmed with most passengers attempting to get some sleep. Some of the cabin crew, particularly those in the rear galley, were however starting to prepare trolleys for the forthcoming breakfast service. Suddenly, the aircraft experienced a small positive 'g' movement followed by a slight shake of the airframe. The passenger seatbelt signs were immediately switched on from the flight deck at which point the aircraft suffered a severe downward movement with associated negative 'g'. The operating pilots guarded the thrust levers and speedbrake in order to control the airspeed, however this remained constant throughout. The disturbance quickly stopped and the aircraft resumed its normal flight path, the flight conditions becoming smooth again. The seat belts signs were left on and over the next hour small amounts of clear air turbulence were experienced, although none were as severe as the initial encounter. |
| Learning Keywords: | Operations - Turbulence |
| Consequence - Flight Attendant Fatality - Injury |
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