Unrestrained Aircraft Occupants
Most passengers seriously injured in turbulence-related accidents are either out of their seats or seated with their seat belts unfastened. 26 aircraft passengers seriously injured in turbulence-related Part 121 accidents between 2009 and 2018, only 1 person was documented as having used a seat belt; the remainder either were not wearing a seat belt or seat belt usage was not reported.
Data strongly suggest that having passengers and [flight attendants] seated with seat belts fastened is an effective measure during a turbulence encounter.
From a regulatory standpoint, per 14 CFR 121.311, separate seats and seat belts are required for each person traveling on board an aircraft in Part 121 air carrier operations. This regulation can help mitigate turbulence-related injuries when occupants have their seat belts fastened. However, this regulation contains an exception for children under the age of 2 that allows such children to be held on an adult’s lap. This exception prevents children under the age of 2 from benefiting from the protection a seat belt affords.
Flight Attendant Injuries in the Descent and Approach Phases of Flight
Flight attendants are recognized as being at higher risk of sustaining turbulence-related injuries. The Commercial Aviation Safety Team Joint Safety Analysis Team (JSAT) analyzed turbulence-related accidents and concluded that the risk of serious injury in turbulence was nearly 24 times higher for flight attendants compared to passengers (CAST 2001). This may be attributed to flight attendants spending more time in the cabin unseated and therefore not wearing their seat belts.
The recommendations in this section address injury mitigation by focusing on the following patterns observed in the accident data analyzed:
• Nearly all turbulence-related injuries are sustained by occupants who are not wearing their seat belts.
• Many injuries occur during the descent phase of flight. • Injuries are not uniformly sustained throughout the aircraft cabin.
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