Ryanair staff broke pelvis on board flight

Ryanair has been issued with a number of safety recommendations after a cabin crew member sustained a fractured pelvis as a result of severe turbulence on a flight out of Rome.

Because the severe turbulence occurred without warning, the crew member did not have time to fasten her harness. She was “thrown out of her seat, struck the ceiling and fell back down, sustaining a fractured pelvis”, according to a report of the incident, published yesterday. None of the 129 passengers on board — who were wearing seatbelts — were injured.

The pilots in charge of the Boeing 737 departing from Rome’s Ciampino airport for Leipzig in Germany on July 18 last year said they had not issued a severe turbulence warning to crew or passengers because it occurred so suddenly.

They consulted weather charts before departing and there was no indication of the type of weather they encountered over the Italian peninsula.

As a result, the pilot in charge cleared cabin crew to leave their seats and start cabin service as the aircraft was climbing. However, during the climb, the pilot became aware that there were some isolated cumulonimbus clouds — dense towering thunderclouds capable of producing dangerous and severe weather.

“Owing to the concern of possible associated turbulence,” he left passengers seated. He then saw one particular cumulonimbus on his intended heading and requested permission to circumvent it from air traffic control (ATC), which was granted. Once clear of the huge cloud, he continued climbing amid “light buffeting” when, out of the blue, the aircraft was hit by severe turbulence for approximately five seconds. It was during this time the crew member was badly injured.

On being informed, the pilot asked the head crew member if they needed to divert the aircraft for medical attention but the injured woman said she was OK to continue. The air accident investigators said: “Had the true extent of her injuries been known, a diversion or return to Lira [Ciampino] would have been prudent.”

Air accident investigators concluded that no prior warning about turbulence was issued because of its “sudden and unexpected nature”. However, investigators were critical of the fact that the flight crew did not advise ATC that they had encountered severe turbulence. They were also critical of the fact that a technical logbook entry, indicating that the aircraft had encountered severe turbulence, was not made, and, as a consequence, a maintenance inspection was not immediately carried out.

They recommended that Ryanair remind flights crews of these two requirements, as per the airline’s operations manual. Ryanair has agreed to issue a memo to flight crews in respect of both.