Dangerous Clear Air Turbulence - Lufthansa Flight 469

[Rover]

Dangerous Clear Air Turbulence Strikes Again . . .

Susan Zimmerman was among the passengers on board Lufthansa Flight 469 when it encountered the severe turbulence on Wednesday. Zimmerman, who is from Austin and five months pregnant, told CNN she had just finished eating and was about to go to the lavatory when the turbulence hit. “During dinner service, there suddenly was a wind shear, the plane increased altitude, then we fell 1,000 feet,” she said. “It was like unexpectedly free-falling for five seconds off the top of a rollercoaster, plates and glassware were up at the ceiling, and my purse from the floor flew behind me to the right.”

She noted that on two occasions the plane felt like it was dropping suddenly and she could hear people screaming and glass breaking. “I’m glad for the most part we are all OK. This was pretty shocking,” said Zimmerman. “There was a moment of ‘oh my God, am I going to meet my daughter.’” Once the plane settled, she said items from the dinner service had been littered throughout the cabin as though there had been a food fight on board.

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/lufthansa-flight-diverted-turbulence/index.html

 

[joelkfla]

“It was like unexpectedly free-falling for five seconds off the top of a rollercoaster, plates and glassware were up at the ceiling, and my purse from the floor flew behind me to the right.”

Actually, if things were flying upward, they were descending faster than free fall. More like Disney's Twilight Zone Tower of Terror than a roller coaster.

 

[west point]

A clear day time flight JFK - San Juan Pr. (SJU) At cruise equal distance from Bermuda, MIA, or SJU. At cruise altitude taking a rather strong 8 degree right crab into a crossing jet stream. Captain noted a rather large thunderstorm off to the right as well . Flight engineer was taking cruise performance readings, Suddenly started getting slight chop.

FE noted a sudden change in outside temp and was just about to make a take seat belt announcement. Chop turned to mild turbulence and FE immediately announced everyone sit down now == turbulence. Well we hit it hard and altitude changed up 400 ft and down 1200 feet..

Every single Flight attendant immediately sat down with not one getting hurt. Several passengers were hurt flying around cabin including a 45-day old infant breaking several bones.

It was thunderstorm wake turbulence. Worse part was the over an hour to nearest airport at SJU.

 

[Metra Electric Rider]

I read about this earlier too - crazy flight.