47 hurt in turbulence on Japan-bound flight

[Coventina]

Source: Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — Severe turbulence jolted a Tokyo-bound Northwest Airlines flight from Manila on Friday, injuring 47 people, officials said.

The turbulence hit the plane while it was circling off the coast of Chiba, east of Tokyo, about 30 minutes before landing, said Masashi Takahashi, a spokesman for Northwest Airlines in Tokyo. The plane suddenly descended, sending passengers without their seatbelts fastened lurching from their seats, he said.

(snip)

Kenichi Fujii, a fire department official, said 47 people suffered injuries, none of them life-threatening. He had no further details. Officials earlier thought two passengers were seriously hurt, but they were in better condition than expected upon examination.

The Boeing 747-400 plane was carrying 408 passengers and 14 crew members.



Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gkCVEMOZxeXcogTNdO97YLMHdC2QD96F5UOO2

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This is why I always have my seat belt on, except when I'm getting up to visit the "ladies' room."

[RandySF]

1. Japan was the worst I ever saw

I remember getting ready to land at Tokyo-Narhita when the turbulence was so bad the flight attendants were scared.

[closeupready]

3. For some reason, transpacific flights to Tokyo are notoriously rocky.

I'm not sure why, but there is probably a scientific reason for it.

[hedgehog]

9. They fly near that island that is the setting for Lost......

[Mojorabbit]

4. Same here

they had started to serve orange juice and everything went flying. Worst turbulence I have ever experienced. Worse I had my three cats in a carrier in the cargo hold. I can't imagine how frightened they must have been.

[Bake]

2. Hmmm. "We're not going to Guam, are we."

I wonder if the pilot's name was Frank ...

Bake

[LibertyLover]

5. Worst turbulence I ever experienced

was inbound to Tokyo from Hawaii. I was flying with my mother, who hated flying. She traveled all the world in airplanes and loathed every minute of every flight. But she wanted to see the Pyramids and the Ginza and the Great Wall, so she got on planes. Anyway, it was one of the few times I ever saw her cry because she was so frightened. My, I was too busy trying not to loose my lunch that I didn't have much time to console her. It was the only other time I ever had bruises from a seat belt. I was really happy when the plane touched down on the runway safely.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

6. That's odd

I've never had an unusually turbulent flight to Japan, and I've flown there something like 14 times over the past 30 years.

[LibertyLover]

7. Well, in the interests of full disclosure, there were two typhoons

off the west coast of Japan that might have had something to do with it. :rofl: The other times I've landed in Tokyo, it hasn't been nearly as interesting.

[pitohui]

8. not in the least bit odd, a known trouble spot for turbulence

we've been lucky and not had personal experience of this either but, yah, sadly around NRT it's a known spot where there has been a problem with turbulence and so-called "clear air turbulence" in the past with multiple incidents having occurred over the years

a woman was killed in 1997 on UA flight 826 NRT-HNL after a similar event

a short check of frequent flyer sites and a spin around google uncovered many many more of these turbulence incidents on a variety of airlines, including northwest, united, and japan airlines but also more obscure airlines

my best advice is to stay strapped in, whether or not the seatbelt light is on, in that area unless you really "gotta go"

on the UA 826 there was no warning before the turbulence began, they were jolted so hard that the oxygen masks dropped immediately (and it may be the woman who died was instantly killed, not clear on that one)

i would not put this as to one-time "bad luck" or something that could only happen on an airline in merger (that is, i DON'T blame sloppy crew or maintenance), this appears to be a possibility any time you travel winter/spring in this area so again wear your seatbelt at all times if possible in this area

some flyers advise sitting in a window seat when traveling to/from/thru NRT to minimize your exposure to flying/unsecured objects in the cabin, of course we can't "all" sit in window seats unless it's quite an empty flight and for me it's too long a flight not to request an aisle seat -- but it's something to consider

also keep your "stuff" stowed!!!!

[babythunder]

11. I have a similar mind-set to your mother

love to travel but hate and I mean hate every minute of flying. Does your mother do anything to help ease her anxiety? Most of the people I know either don't mind flying or hate it and never fly.

[closeupready]

12. I used to fly a lot, and I hate it - hate it hate it hate it.

Even mild turbulence makes me crazy. I finally got some Ambien for Transatlantic flights - domestic ones don't bother me so much, for whatever reason. So I try to sleep through it.

[babythunder]

13. I'm the same way even the tiniest bit of

turbulence gives me serious anxiety. It's interesting because Transatlantic flights I feel a bit easier but the short flights on crop dusters puts me in death grip mode.

[hedgehog]

10. Mothra