Incident Overview

Date: Thursday 5 February 2009
Aircraft Type: Boeing 737-85P (WL)
Owner/operator: SAS Braathens
Registration Number: LN-RRG
Location: 25 NM SSE of Troms? – ÿ Norway
Phase of Flight: En route
Casualties: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants:
Component Affected: Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) ? specifically the ACARS system.Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) ? specifically the ACARS system.
Investigating Agency: AIBNAIBN
Category: Accident
SAS Braathens flight SK4424 experienced turbulence during descent to Troms?, Norway. A cabin crew member lost their footing and fell, resulting in a passenger’s left ankle injury. The flight crew received a SIGMET warning for localized turbulence below 8,000 ft but did not receive it en route to Troms?, a deviation from standard procedures.SAS Braathens flight SK4424 experienced turbulence during descent to Troms?, Norway. A cabin crew member lost their footing and fell, resulting in a passenger’s left ankle injury. The flight crew received a SIGMET warning for localized turbulence below 8,000 ft but did not receive it en route to Troms?, a deviation from standard procedures.

Description

SAS Braathens flight SK4424, a Boeing 737-85P, encountered turbulence on a flight to Troms?, seriously injuring one occupant. SAS Braathens flight 414 from Oslo Airport Gardermoen (ENGM) was approaching Troms?. During the descent, the fasten seatbelt sign was switched on at 15,000 ft in accordance with current company procedures. The cabin crew cleared and prepared the cabin. The aeroplane had descended to about 8 000 ft when it encountered clear airturbulence. The turbulence only lasted for a few seconds. One of the cabin crew at the back of the cabin had not had time to buckle up and lost her footing. She fell hard and broke her left ankle. The flight crew radioed air traffic control and informed them of the turbulence. It turned out that a warning had been issued for localised strong turbulence below 8,000 ft in the area in question (SIGMET). However, the alert was issued after the flight crew of SAS414 had planned their flight, and they had not received this information en route to Troms?. Normally, such information would have been communicated both by radio and via the aircraft’s data link (Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System, ACARS). On the day in question, however, the ACARS system was faulty, so no SIGMET was sent out to any of the company’s aircraft.

Primary Cause

Faulty ACARS system communication leading to the failure to receive and disseminate a SIGMET warning.Faulty ACARS system communication leading to the failure to receive and disseminate a SIGMET warning.

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