Friday, May 31, 2024 A Singapore Airlines jetliner experienced severe turbulence last week, resulting in a dramatic 178-foot drop in less than one second, according to a preliminary report released by Singapore’s Transport Ministry on Wednesday. The incident, which occurred on a flight from London to Singapore on May 21, caused significant injuries to passengers who were not secured in their seats. The report detailed that the Boeing 777 encountered abrupt changes in gravitational force within a five-second window.

This rapid fluctuation likely led to unbelted passengers becoming airborne before being thrust back down, contributing to the severity of the injuries. A 73-year-old British man tragically died from a suspected heart attack, and dozens of others were injured. The flight, carrying 211 passengers and 18 crew members, was forced to make an emergency landing in Bangkok.

Investigators from Singapore’s Transport Ministry, the US National Transportation Safety Board, the Federal Aviation Administration, and Boeing have been analyzing the flight’s data and cockpit voice recorders. Early findings suggest that the plane, cruising at approximately 37,000 feet over southern Myanmar, began to vibrate slightly due to gravitational changes. An updraft likely caused the plane’s altitude to increase, prompting the autopilot system to adjust by descending back to the selected altitude.

The pilots observed an uncommanded increase in airspeed and attempted to manage it by exte.