Turbulence is air movement that normally cannot be seen and often occurs unexpectedly. It can be created by a number of different conditions, including atmospheric pressures, jet streams, mountain waves, cold or warm fronts, or thunderstorms. Turbulence can occur when the sky appears to be clear.
Current Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations require passengers to be seated with their seat belts properly fastened:
- when the aircraft leaves the gate and until it climbs after takeoff;
- during landing until the aircraft reaches the gate and comes to a complete stop; and
- whenever the seat belt sign is illuminated during flight.
In the aftermath of some serious turbulence events, the FAA issued a public advisory to airlines urging the use of seat belts at all times when passengers are seated. The FAA concluded that the rules concerning seat belts did not require strengthening but that a public education initiative was necessary to encourage the use of seat belts.
Some statistics:
- In non-fatal accidents, in-flight turbulence is the leading cause of injuries to airline passengers and flight attendants.
- Each year, approximately 58 airline passengers in the United States are injured by turbulence while not wearing their seat belts.
- From 1981 through 1997, there were 342 reports of turbulence affecting major air carriers. As a result, three passengers died, 80 suffered serious injuries and 769 received minor injuries. At least two of the three fatalities involved passengers who were not wearing their seat belts while the seat belt sign was illuminated. Of the 80 passengers who were seriously injured, approximately 73 were not wearing their seat belts while the seat belt sign was illuminated.
- Generally, two-thirds of turbulence-related accidents* occur at or above 30,000 feet.
* The National Transportation Safety Board defines an accident as
an occurrence associated with the operation of an aircraft in which
any person suffers death or serious injury or in which the aircraft
receives substantial damage.
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