Created Monday, May 2nd 2022 10:34Z, last updated Wednesday, May 21st 2025 17:50Z
A Spicejet Boeing 737-800, registration VT-SLH performing flight
SG-945 from Mumbai to Andal (India) with 189 passengers and 6 crew, was descending through about FL160 towards Andal when the aircraft encountered severe turbulence causing injuries to 14 passengers and 3 cabin crew. The aircraft continued for a safe landing on runway 16 about 15 minutes later. A number of occupants were taken to hospitals. One passenger succumbed to his injuries almost 5 months later.
India's DGCA have opened an investigation into the occurrence.
Preliminary information suggests loose objects in the cabin caused head injuries to passengers. Several passenger mask compartments opened as result of the turbulence, parts of the cabin ceiling came down. None of the overhead lockers appear to have opened however.
ADS-B data suggest the aircraft was descending at about 3000 fpm through FL160 when the aircraft encountered sudden speed variations between 410 and 350 knots over ground associated with climb rates of up to 2000 fpm and descend rates of up to 3000 fpm.
The occurrence aircraft remained on the ground in Andal for about 7 hours, then positioned to Kolkata (India). The aircraft has not yet returned to service about 51 hours after landing in Andal.
On May 3rd 2022 India's DGCA reported at the time of the turbulence encounter the seat belt signs were on keeping the number of injuries relatively low. Two of 14 injured passengers are still in Intensive Care Units, one with spinal injuries, the other with head injuries. A third injured remains in hospital care after 8 injured had been released from hospital. All of the 14 injured received head, spine, shoulder, forehead or facial injuries. A few hand rests were found fractured, a couple of oxygen mask compartments opened deploying the oxygen masks, some decorative panels of the cabin ceiling were damaged, one overhead locker lock was found fractured. Galley items were found distributed throughout the cabin. The aircraft experienced between +2.64 and -1.36G during the turbulence encounter, the autopilot disconnected and the crew took manual control of the aircraft for about 2 minutes. As result the entire fleet of Spicejet was checked.
On Nov 2nd 2022 the airline reported one of the injured passengers (48) succumbed to his injuries on Sep 26th 2022 despite all medical efforts.
ON May 21st 2025 India's AAIB released their final report concluding the probable causes of the accident were:
Accident was caused by the poor CRM and decision making on part of crew to penetrate bad weather and not maintaining specified separation from turbulence prone weather.
Due to insufficient time for securing cabin, the cabin crew could not ascertain if all passengers had seat belts ON. Passenger not complying with seat belt instructions led to avoidable injuries as aircraft encountered severe turbulence.
The AAIB summarized the sequence of events:
Aircraft departed from Mumbai at 11:43 UTC and at about 13:19 UTC, the aircraft started descent for Durgapur. At 13:19:39 UTC, the aircraft informed Kolkata Radar that it was maintaining a Heading of 065 due to weather. Expecting weather and turbulence, the PIC advised the passengers to remain seated for the next 15 minutes over PA and this was followed by an advice to cabin crew to remain seated till the expected rough weather is cleared. The seatbelt signs were ON. The Cabin Crew who were in process of securing the cabin were near 8th row and returned to their seats. The Cabin crew made an announcement over PA for the passengers to remain seated and wear seatbelts. Announcements to remain seated were repeated by PIC and Cabin Crew. At about, 13:27 UTC the aircraft encountered severe turbulence. Many passengers, not wearing seatbelts, were thrown off their seats and suffered injuries.
The aircraft landed at Durgapur at about 13:47 UTC and medical assistance was provided to the injured passengers including hospitalization. One passenger later passed away while undergoing treatment. The occurrence was classified as Accident under Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2017 and investigation was ordered vide order dated 20 May 2022.
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