Turbulence slammed Hawaiian Airlines flight because of decision to fly over storm cell, report says

HONOLULU– A Hawaiian Airlines flight crew’s decision to fly over a dangerous storm cell rather than divert around it was the likely cause of the collision severe turbulence that passengers and crew were injured in 2022, the National Transportation Safety Board said in a final report Thursday.

Three passengers and a crew member were seriously injured during the December 18, 2022 flight from Phoenix to Honolulu. Twenty people were injured.

According to the report, one crew member said it reminded him of a “volcanic explosion.” A passenger who left her seat to go to the toilet reported that she “flew” face-first into the toilet ceiling and was “abruptly thrown to the floor.” Damage to the cabin included missing ceiling panels, a cracked ceiling light and a flight attendant’s handset that was broken into several pieces, the report said.

In an earlier preliminary report, the captain told investigators that flight conditions were smooth with clear skies a cloud shot up vertically like a plume of smoke in front of the plane and there was no time to change course.

Thursday’s report said there were forecasts of unstable atmospheric conditions and isolated thunderstorms at the time. The report determined that the probable cause of the accident was the flight crew’s “decision to fly over an observed storm cell rather than divert around it,” despite meteorological information indicating the possibility of severe turbulence.

“We regularly train our crews to avoid significant weather conditions, including air turbulence,” the airline said in a statement. “After Flight 35, we conducted a thorough internal investigation and worked with the NTSB to understand and report the factors that led to the aircraft experiencing stronger than expected turbulence. We will continue to learn as much as we can from this event.”