The preliminary safety investigation into severe turbulence aboard a
Data recovered from the Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder show the fasten seatbelt sign was switched on just 8 seconds before the
"The rapid changes in G over the 4.6 second duration resulted in an altitude drop of 178 feet, from 37,362 feet to 37,184 feet. This sequence of events likely caused the injuries to the crew and passengers," investigators said.
TSIB investigators looking into the
The data recorder showed that the pilots immediately "initiated control inputs" to stabilize the aircraft, disengaged the autopilot and flew the aircraft manually for 21 seconds before reengaging the autopilot.
The aircraft experienced further but much less violent surges in upward acceleration over the next 24 seconds of between +0.9G and +1.1G before settling back to its selected altitude of 37,000 feet.
The whole incident lasted just 62 seconds.
The captain made the call to divert to
The data showed no further severe turbulence was encountered en route to
The hospital said six people were treated for skull and brain injuries, 22 for spinal injuries, and 13 for bone, muscle and other injuries.
"The safety and well-being of our passengers and staff are our top priorities," it said.
"We are committed to supporting our passengers and crew members who were on board SQ321 on that day, as well as their families and loved ones. This includes covering their medical and hospital expenses, as well as any additional assistance they may need."
The safety report comes five days after the carrier announced changes to its seatbelt policy, saying it would no longer provide hot beverage or meal service during a flight when the fasten seatbelt sign is illuminated.
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