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NTSB faults Hawaiian Airlines pilots for decision leading to turbulence injuries

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NTSB faults Hawaiian Airlines pilots for decision leading to turbulence injuries
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The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has concluded its investigation into a severe turbulence incident involving Hawaiian Airlines Flight 35 in December 2022. The report attributes the cause to the flight crew's decision to fly over a storm cell rather than deviating around it, despite having sufficient meteorological information indicating potential severe convective activity.

On December 18, 2022, the Airbus A330-200 was en route to Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu when it encountered turbulence about 65 nautical miles from Kahului, Hawaii. At the time, cabin crew members were concluding service and securing carts while pilots were aware of forecasts predicting adverse conditions ahead.

"The flight crew’s decision to fly over an observed storm cell instead of deviating around it despite sufficient meteorological information indicating the potential for severe convective activity," stated the NTSB report.

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The aircraft experienced a vertical acceleration of 2.18 G during the turbulence, which caused injuries among passengers and crew. Four individuals sustained serious injuries, including one crew member and three passengers, while another 20 suffered minor injuries. Medical personnel treated a total of 36 people upon landing after air traffic control declared an emergency.

Before encountering turbulence, the flight crew noticed a developing cloud plume but believed they would clear most of it. However, as recorded by the cockpit voice recorder (CVR), they later acknowledged that they should have "gone around it." The storm cell appeared "kinda flat" initially but "built super fast" as they approached.

Hawaiian Airlines stated: "We regularly train our crews on significant weather avoidance, including in-air turbulence. Following Flight 35, we conducted a thorough internal review and cooperated with the NTSB to understand the factors that led the aircraft to encounter stronger than anticipated and reported turbulence."

According to Hawaiian Airlines' operating manual for their A330 fleet, pilots are advised not to attempt flying over storm cells at or above certain altitudes due to potential hazards.

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