Experts have claimed that Boeing and Singapore Airlines were powerless to avoid the deadly turbulence that killed a man in a ‘freak’ incident in the skies last week.
The Boeing 777-300ER aircraft was travelling near the Gulf of Martabar, off the coast of Myanmar, when it struck a hidden weather system which is thought to have caused clear air turbulence.
It’s believed the clear-air turbulence that impacted flight SQ321 would not have been picked up on its state of the art Honeywell IntuVue 3D weather radar – a system used on many 777s.
The radar, which is located at the nose of the plane, scans 160 degrees from 0 to 60,000ft to give pilots a complete vertical view of the weather system ahead and across terrain.
However, clear air turbulence is impossible to observe in advance and is challenging for aviation meteorologists to forecast before it occurs.
Geoffrey Kitchen, 73, has been identified as the British passenger who died aboard the Boeing 777 plane
Fight SQ321’s sudden drop unleashed mayhem onboard and forced the plane to make an emergency landing at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi
Last week’s brutal turbulence, around ten hours into the flight from Heathrow to Singapore, wrought havoc on board and saw British grandfather Geoffrey Kitchen suffer a fatal heart attack, while dozens of other passengers sustained significant injuries.
Speaking to MailOnline, aviation expert Terry Tozer revealed the unfortunate pilots would have had almost no warning of what they were flying into.
He said: ‘There’s no tech that can detect clear air turbulence. The area where they were is pretty renowned for turbulence, but you get a bit of warning.
‘They were obviously caught completely unaware. They’re still investigating so we don’t know, but I wouldn’t imagine there’s anything more.’
Another pilot told MailOnline the plane’s sophisticated weather equipment could have missed the pocket of turbulence with high density clouds in the way – meaning there was no way to know about the air pocket.
The incident, which aviation experts are calling a ‘freak’ event is the latest tragedy to involve Boeing which has seen its reputation battered in recent years.
Earlier this month, it was announced the aviation giant could face criminal prosecutions over two fatal 737 Max crashes after they were accused of violating a settlement which allowed them to avoid earlier charges.
Boeing had previously reached a $2.5 billion settlement with the US Justice Department in January 2021 after two 737 Max jets crashed in 2018 and 2019, killing 346 people.
Tuesday’s incident did not involve a 737 Max but a Boeing 777-300ER, an older model which has traditionally not reported many problems.
However, the nature of the incident and the terrible outcome for those on board has once more led to questions around the brand leading some experts to claim they now have a ‘reputation problem.’
And how this problem plays out could yet come to bare for UK holidaymakers, many of whom will be travelling on Boeing flights.
The 16-year-old Boeing 777 left Heathrow at 10.17pm on Monday and was diverted to Bangkok, landing at 3.45pm local time (9.45am BST) on Tuesday.
There were 211 passengers and 18 crew on board – including 47 passengers from the UK and four Irish nationals.
Flightradar24 said its tracking data showed the plane encountering turbulence at approximately 8.49am BST while flying over Myanmar.
The flight tracking service said data sent from the aircraft showed a ‘rapid change in vertical rate, consistent with a sudden turbulence event’, adding that there were ‘some severe’ thunderstorms in the area at the time.
The plane made an emergency landing at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport, where medical staff used gurneys to ferry the injured to ambulances waiting on the tarmac.
Harrowing images taken on board showed how the cabin was littered with debris as distraught passengers tried desperately to stem the blood flowing from severe cuts and blunt force injuries.
One passenger named as Jerry, who was travelling to his son’s wedding aboard the ill-fated flight SQ321, said it was ‘the worst flight of my life’.
Speaking to BBC reporters with a bandage covering part of his head, he said: ‘Suddenly the plane plunged… there was no warning at all, and I ended up hitting my head on the ceiling, and my wife did.
‘Some poor people walking around ended up doing somersaults. It was absolutely terrible.’
Another passenger, named as Josh, said that he blacked out during the turbulence. When he came to, he said pools of blood had collected on the cabin floor.
‘There was water everywhere, blood everywhere, people’s belongings just strewn all over the plane,’ the Times reported.
At least one person died after a Singapore Airlines (SIA) SQ321 flight from London Heathrow to Singapore got into severe turbulence
The interior of Singapore Airline flight SG321 is pictured after the emergency landing
After around ten hours, the aircraft sharply dropped 6,000 feet in just five minutes, causing chaos in the cabin. Pictured, one air stewardess with blood on her face
Thai rescuers hurriedly carry out severely injured passengers on stretchers
Pictured: Passengers in the cabin, with belongings strewn across the floor and oxygen masks dangling from above
Thai emergency services lift a man on a stretcher above the heads of injured passengers
Passengers of Singapore Airlines flight SQ321, which made an emergency landing in Bangkok, greet family members upon arrival at Changi Airport in Singapore
The victim of the fatal heart attack was named as Geoff Kitchen, 73, who was on his ‘last big holiday’ with his wife, who remains in hospital.
Neighbours told MailOnline he had suffered heart problems in recent years and had stents put in to widen his arteries.
In a Facebook post shared on Tuesday evening, Thornbury Musical Theatre Group in Bristol said: ‘It is with a heavy heart that we learn of the devastating news of the passing of our esteemed colleague and friend Geoff Kitchen in the recent Singapore Air Incident.
‘Geoff was always a gentleman with the utmost honesty and integrity and always did what was right for the group.
‘His commitment to TMTG was unquestionable and he has served the group and the local community of Thornbury for over 35 years, holding various offices within the group, including Chairman, Treasurer and most recently Secretary.
‘Our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife and the family at this difficult time, and we ask that you respect their privacy.’
Geoff Kitchen, 73, suffered a suspected heart attack on the flight, according to a spokesman for Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport
The damaged interior of the Singapore Airlines flight is seen in this screenshot
The interior of Singapore Airline flight SG321 after it made an emergency landing at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Thailand
The airline said that it was working with Thai authorities to provide medical assistance to passengers, and was sending a team to Bangkok to provide any additional help needed
Passengers on the fateful flight told how they and flight crew desperately tried to save Mr Kitchen’s life by delivering CPR, as well as tending to other injured passengers.
Following the incident, Singapore Airlines CEO, Goh Choon Phong, said in a statement that he and the airline extend their condolences to ‘the family and loved ones of the passenger who passed away’.
‘We are deeply saddened by this incident, and are committed to providing all necessary support and assistance to the passengers and crew members who were on board SQ321, as well as their families and loved ones.’
However, questions still remain.
Could the pilots have avoided the weather?
Experienced pilot and flight simulator instructor for Qantas, David Evans, told MailOnline that the particular piece of airspace the plane flew through ‘is fairly notorious’ among airlines for its unpredictable weather.
‘That bit of airspace does incorporate a lot of weather, traditionally at all times of the year really,’ Mr Evans said.
‘I think we try to avoid it in the first instance, going into that sort of weather.’
He added that safety procedures from the cabin crew and pilots are usually enacted after hitting turbulence.
‘Once we encounter that sort of turbulence, there is a turbulence penetration procedure where we slow the aircraft down,’ Mr Evans said.
‘But before that, hopefully we’ve got everybody strapped in with seatbelts on and… everyone secure before we enter that sort of turbulent air.
‘Well, that didn’t seem to happen here.’
Paul Charles, CEO of travel consultancy The PC Agency and former Virgin Atlantic director, described the weather in the area as ‘unpredictable’.
He said: ‘It’s really not uncommon to experience turbulence in that region, about one or two hours before arriving in Singapore.
‘There are some unpredictable weather patterns in the area due to the high temperatures.
‘We’re still not sure of the cause of the turbulence and it could have been either so-called clear air turbulence, which is invisible to pilots and caused by unusual wind drafts, or even the Singapore Airlines plane passing through the backdraft of another aircraft nearby.
‘I think it’s near certain that the aircraft itself was not a factor here.
‘In fact, the quality of the Boeing 777 would have helped passengers in this situation, as it was strong enough to withstand the sudden turbulence.’
Experienced pilot and flight simulator instructor for Qantas, David Evans (pictured), said the particular piece of airspace ‘is fairly notorious’ and often avoided by airlines
What will this do to compound Boeing’s woes?
Prior to this weeks incident, Boeing had been recovering from the fallout to two deadly incidents years earlier.
In the two crashes – in Indonesia in 2018 and in Ethiopia in 2019 – the nose of the plane was automatically pointed down based on faulty sensor readings, and pilots were unable to regain control.
On October 29, 2018, the Boeing 737 MAX operating the Lion Air Flight 610 crashed into the Java Sea 13 minutes after takeoff, killing all 189 passengers and crew.
Five months later, on March 10, 2019, the Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft which operated Ethiopian flight 302 crashed near the town of Bishoftu, Ethiopia, six minutes after takeoff, killing all 157 people aboard.
Following public outcry, Boeing reached a $2.5 billion settlement with the US Justice Department in January 2021.
The settlement allowed Boeing to avoid prosecution on a single charge of fraud – misleading regulators who approved the 737 MAX – but set out certain terms that Boeing had to comply with for the next three years.
However, the Justice Department alleges Boeing has since breached the 2021 settlement, opening themselves up to criminal prosecution.
Mr Tozer explains: ‘Boeing introduced the 737-MAX to compete with Airbus. They installed huge engines that they couldn’t fit beneath the wings so they moved them forwards and upwards to try and fit them on.
‘This changed the handling of the aircraft and in order to compensate for that they put a computer system in to react automatically if the aircraft pitched up too much.
‘The problem was they didn’t tell anyone.
‘When those poor people on the Lion aircraft had a fault with the sensors, the system pitched it down and they didn’t know how to stop it until it hit the ground. The MAX scandal really hurt Boeing.
‘A lot of people, including me, thought there should have been criminal prosecutions.
‘The MAX began Boeing’s woes and they were compounded when the door panel blew out of an Alaskan Airlines flight this year causing sudden depressurisation.
This picture taken at the Tanjung Priok Jakarta port on October 30, 2018 shows Indonesian people examining debris of the ill-fated Lion Air flight JT 610 in Jakarta which killed 189
Rescuers work at the scene of an Ethiopian Airlines flight of a Boeing 737 Max 8 plane crash near Bishoftu, or Debre Zeit, south of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, March 11, 2019, which took the lives of 157 people
‘A child next to it was nearly sucked out and saved by his seat belt and mother holding onto him.
‘The subsequent investigation found that Spirit AeroSystems, who are subcontractors to Boeing, had failed to secure the bolts holding the door in place and no inspections had picked this up.
‘This opened another can of worms and Spirit being found lacking in other areas as well and now everyone is looking closely.
‘The Boeing 787 Dreamliner has been shown to have some issues and some suggest that Spirit’s quality control is part of that as well but I can’t state that categorically.
‘After all the fuss, modifications to the MAX have made it safe enough to be back in operation, although many people will be worried still and I understand that some travel websites now have a filter so you can specify ‘No Boeing’ when you book, Ryanair have some for example.’
How will this all impact UK holidays this summer?
This coming summer thousands of Brits are expected to jet off on holiday, many of them on Boeing aircraft.
Questions over safety have plagued the aircraft manufacturer ever since a door plug blew out of a 737 Max on an Alaska Airlines flight in January, leaving a gaping hole in the side of the jetliner.
Aircraft manufacturer Pratt & Whitney has also recalled hundreds of engines used in short-haul Airbuses, worsening the plane shortage impacting the industry.
Avia Solutions, the world’s largest aircraft leasing company, has now warned that ‘desperate’ air carriers searching for planes will likely have to cancel routes and reduce their summer service.
Gediminas Ziemelis, (pictured) chairman of Dublin-based Avia, has warned that ‘desperate’ air carriers searching for planes will likely have to cancel routes and reduce their summer service
Boeing was under renewed scrutiny after a door plug blew out of a 737 Max on an Alaska Airlines flight in January, leaving a gaping hole in the side of the jetliner
‘Airlines are desperate for aircraft because of the production problems but the well is dry,’ Gediminas Ziemelis, chairman of Dublin-based Avia, told The Telegraph. ‘I think in this dislocated system that cancellations are quite possible.’
Mr Ziemelis argued that the aircraft industry is facing a post-pandemic ‘super-demand’ that has not been experienced since ‘traffic rebounded after 9/11’.
Avia is expecting to lease 80 per cent of its fleet of 212 aircraft to airlines across Europe this summer, but Mr Ziemelis still suspects that some carriers will fail to secure enough planes to maintain planned routes.
Avia analysts determined that only eight of the roughly 250 aircraft available across Europe for short-term rent have yet to be placed with airlines. The firm predicts that as a result, many airlines will be forced to reduce their summer flights.
The chairman revealed that Turkish Airlines will be its biggest single customer this summer, leasing more than 30 planes.
However, despite the doom and gloom, many in the aviation indursty including Nicky Kelvin, editor at large at The Points Guy, insist that Brits with holidays booked have no reason to panic, yet.
He told MailOnline: ‘We had this news last week with Avia solutions saying they’re almost out of planes.
‘However, what they said has not actually happened, all of it is just the potential. Airlines go into the summer knowing it will be busy and they’ve increased capacity, they’re more prepared this year than they ever were before.
‘In terms of actual confidence in Boeing, I don’t think this will be significant for the general traveller.
‘Most normal holidaymakers don’t know or care what model they’re flying on. Maybe people will start to show more interest, but it’s unlikely.’
Travel expert Mr Charles also thinks the average Brit holidaymaker is unlikely to be impacted by the tragedy.
He said: ‘I don’t think this very rare incident will put off people from flying on a 777 – if anything it will heighten awareness to keep your seat belt on most of the journey and not spend too much time out of your seat.
‘Of course, it may cause some to question flying long-haul to hotter regions with more unpredictable winds – but turbulence can happen on short-haul journeys in Europe too, although thankfully it is almost always smoother to fly through.
‘There are over 90,000 flights a day operating somewhere in the world from some 9,000 airports. Rough turbulence like this is extremely rare and you can be reassured that almost all journeys are safe and secure for those travelling.’
A spokesman for Boeing said: ‘We are in contact with Singapore Airlines regarding flight SQ321 and stand ready to support them.
‘We extend our deepest condolences to the family who lost a loved one, and our thoughts are with the passengers and crew.
‘We’ll defer to the airline and local authorities for any other information.’
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The Singapore Airlines turbulence is the latest controversy to strike Boeing 777: A complete timeline of when the plane put passenger lives at risk
By Elena Salvoni
The Singapore Airline turbulence disaster which resulted in the death of a British grandfather and dozens of injuries is the latest in a string of incidents affecting passengers on Boeing’s 777 jets.
The triple sevens are among the bestselling long haul aircraft in the world, and were the first commercial jets designed entirely by computer.
But since coming into service in 1995, they have been at the centre of a number of controversies – including in April when a whistleblower accused Boeing of taking shortcuts when building it.
Pilot and crew error, as well as undiagnosed faults and misfortune, can all play a part in air disasters, which the 777s have been no stranger to over the years – with crash-landings to engine problems and parts of the plane falling out of the sky.
Here, MailOnline looks at the times passengers and crew on the aircraft have had their lives put at risk.
A passenger died and dozens of others were injured on a flight from London to Singapore, forcing an emergency landing in Thailand. Pictured: The plane and ambulances are seen on the tarmac at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok
British Airways Flight 38 crashed just short of the runway when it was landing at Heathrow on January 17 2008.
The Boeing 777-200ER, which had flown in from Beijing early that morning, with its flight path over Mongolia, Siberia, and Scandinavia – where temperatures were as low as −74°C (−101 °F) – meaning the crew kept a close eye on the fuel temperatures.
While the fuel itself did not freeze, small amounts of water in it did – forming a slush of ice.
It did not affect the flight until it was coming into landing, with the frozen liquid blocking the flow of fuel to the engines.
The passenger jet suffered a loss of power – which the pilot and first officer cleverly mitigated with their quick actions.
An internal BA investigation found that captain Peter Burkill changed the angles of the plane’s wing flaps in order to reduce the drag, helping the aircraft to maintain speed.
A British Airways Boeing 777 aircraft which made an emergency crash landing at Heathrow airport after suffering engine failure on the approach to Heathrow
Meanwhile senior first officer John Coward pushed the plane’s nose towards the ground in order to accelerate before levelling out just before the Boeing crashed on to the grass.
All 136 passengers and 16 crew on the flight were safely evacuated from the wreckage.
Miraculously, only one passenger suffered serious injuries – concussion and a broken leg – while four crew members and eight passengers sustained minor injuries.
Seoul to San Francisco – Asiana Airlines Flight 214 – Boeing 777-200 – July 2013
Asiana Airlines Flight 214’s catastrophic landing short of the runway at San Francisco Airport was the first fatal crash of a 777 since it entered service in 1995.
The flight from Incheon, near Seoul in South Korea, was about to land when the tail section broke off after striking the seawall before the runway.
Of the 307 people on board, three died in the crash. Another 187 were injured, 49 of them seriously – including four flight attendants who were thrown onto the runway.
The wreckage of Asiana Flight 214 lies on the ground after it crashed at the San Francisco International Airport in July 2013
An investigation into the cause of the crash concluded that it was caused by the flight crew’s mismanagement of the final approach.
Contributing factors included Asiana Airlines’ pilot training and deficiencies with Boeing’s flight documentation.
India to Dubai – Emirates Flight 251 – August 2016
Emirates Flight 521 crashed as it aborted its landing at Dubai International Airport in August 2016.
The plane, which had flown in from Trivandrum, India, hit the runway and skidded some 800 metres and swung to the right as its landing gear was partly retracted.
The cabin began to fill with smoke as several fires started, with videos showing passengers grabbing their luggage and failing to evacuate quickly.
Incredibly, all 282 passengers and 18 crew on the flight did manage to escape through emergency exits as the cabin filled with smoke and were able to sprint to safety moments before the plane exploded into flames.
All of those on board, including 24 Britons and six Americans, were led to safety at Dubai International Airport, minutes before the Boeing 777 was completely destroyed in a massive fireball.
Emirates Flight 521 crashed as it aborted its landing at Dubai International Airport in August 2016. It caught on fire and was almost completely destroyed
Tragically, airport firefighter Jasim Issa Mohammed Hassan was killed as he helped to battle the blaze, while 32 people were injured including four with serious injuries.
The accident is the only hull loss of an Emirates aircraft.
A 2020 report into the accident concluded that ‘The flight crew reliance on automation and lack of training in flying go-arounds from close to the runway significantly affected the flight crew performance in a critical flight situation which was different to that experienced by them during their simulated training flights.’
Denver to Hawaii – United Airlines Flight 328 – Boeing 777-200 – February 2021
United Airlines Flight 328 was forced to make an emergency landing shortly after taking off from Denver when it suffered major damage to one of its engines.
Video recorded by passengers aboard the flight to Honolulu, Hawaii, which was carrying 231 travelers and 10 crew members, shows how the engine became engulfed in flames.
The pilot made a mayday call and diverted the Boeing 777-200 back to Denver and landed safely at 1.30pm local time, about 30 minutes after takeoff.
Video recorded by passengers aboard Flight UA328, which was carrying 231 travelers and 10 crew members, shows the engine on fire
Huge pieces of debris from the engine were shed by the plane over Denver, with pictures showing parts of the fuselage on a front lawn.
One homeowner in the suburb of Broomfield, Colorado told KMGH-TV they were making a sandwich in their kitchen when debris crashed through their roof and landed just two feet away.
Passengers described feeling the heat from the fire and many believed they were just moments dying. Miraculously, there were no reported injuries either on board or on the ground.
San Francisco to Osaka – United Airlines Flight 35- March 2024
The United Airlines flight 35 left San Francisco Airport on its way to Osaka in Japan and was barely off the runway when the Boeing 777-200’s wheel came off
A 256lb wheel fell from a United Airlines plane shortly after take-off in San Francisco and crushed cars parked below as it plummeted to the ground.
The United Airlines flight 35 left San Francisco Airport on its way to Osaka in Japan and was barely off the runway when the Boeing 777-200’s wheel came off.
Passengers said it felt like a routine take off, and were not told that something had gone wrong until around 10 minutes into the flight.
The plane with 235 passengers and 14 crew diverted to Los Angeles Airport after it was alerted to the landing gear failure.
The aircraft dumped fuel before making an emergency landing, with unharmed passengers having a three-hour layover before heading back on their journies.
Sydney to San Francisco – United Airlines Flight 830 – March 2024
A United Boeing jet bound for San Francisco (seen here) was forced to land after hydraulic fluid was filmed spewing from its landing gear area moments after take off
The forced landing happened as the San Francisco-bound 777-300 took off from Sydney, as fluid was seen leaking from its undercarriage
United Airlines Flight 830 was forced to land shortly after takeoff at Sydney Airport due to hydraulic fluid leaking from its landing gear area.
The incident on March 11 was reported to have been the fifth involving a Boeing plane in the span of seven days.
The forced landing happened as the Boeing 777-300 set off for its cross-Pacific flight to San Francisco with fluid filmed streaming from its undercarriage.
A United Airlines spokesperson said that the flight returned to Sydney due to a hydraulic leak, and added that the plane landed safely and passengers disembarked normally at the gate. There were no injuries.
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