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| Date: | Sunday 2 February 2020 |
| Time: | 02:14 UTC |
| Type: |  Airbus A380-861 |
| Owner/operator: | Emirates |
| Registration: | A6-EON |
| MSN: | 188 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2015 |
| Engine model: | Engine Alliance GP 7270 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 361 |
| Aircraft damage: | None |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | over Rocky Mountains, Wyoming -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Passenger - Scheduled |
| Departure airport: | Los Angeles International Airport, CA (LAX/KLAX) |
| Dubai Airport (DXB/OMDB) | |
| Investigating agency: | GCAA |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Emirates flight EK216, an Airbus A380, operated a scheduled passenger long-range flight, from Los Angeles Airport (KLAX), United States, to Dubai International Airport (OMDB), the United Arab Emirates.
The flight had 361 persons onboard consisting of four flight crew, 24 cabin crew and 333 passengers. During cruise at flight level (FL) 330, in the airspace above Trout Peak, Rocky Mountains, Wyoming, the aircraft experienced moderate to severe turbulence at around 02:14 UTC, approximately 1 hour and 42 minutes after departure from KLAX.
The commander was the pilot flying. Because there was neither any significant weather in the area nor air traffic control reports of any turbulence, the commander had switched the seatbelt sign OFF after the aircraft had passed FL100 during the climb. The turbulence started just after the commander had initiated the climb to FL350 and he reacted by immediately turning the seatbelt sign ON and making a passenger announcement for cabin crew to take their seat.
During the turbulence, which lasted for about one minute and 54 seconds. the aircraft airspeed increased but the maximum operating Mach (MMO) speed was not exceeded. The aircraft autopilot and autothrust remained engaged during the turbulence. The vertical speed of the aircraft varied between minus 580 feet per minute and positive 1,400 feet per minute with vertical gravitational g-loads between positive 0.44 G and positive 1.63 G.
Amongst all persons onboard the aircraft, one passenger was injured which was classified as a serious injury. There was no reported damage to the aircraft cabin.
The flight continued to the destination where the aircraft landed uneventfully.
Causes
The Air Accident Investigation Sector determines that the cause of the Accident was the acceleration forces imposed on the Aircraft as it flew through an area of clear air turbulence, which resulted in an unsecured passenger forcefully impacting cabin furnishings in the lavatory.
Contributing Factors
Lack of placarded instructions and inaccessibility of the handholds within the lavatory for use in case of turbulence.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
GCAA
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
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