On August 28, 2024, United Flight 1196, a Boeing 737-900 carrying 172 passengers and seven crew members, traveling from Cancun, Mexico, to Chicago, Illinois, was unexpectedly hit with severe turbulence over Louisiana. This led to an emergency landing in Memphis, Tennessee. Seven passengers were injured during the incident, with one taken to a local hospital in a non-critical state. The other six injured passengers declined medical assistance.
The incident occurred while the seatbelt sign was illuminated, and the severe turbulence caused significant shaking on the flight. This prompted the pilot to redirect the flight to Memphis International Airport. The plane touched down safely at 2:50 p.m. local time, where paramedics were on standby to attend to the injured passengers.
The Memphis Fire Department confirmed that the hospitalized passenger was in non-critical condition. The specific injuries of the other passengers were not disclosed but were characterized as minor.
A spokesperson for United Airlines expressed gratitude to the crew for their efforts to ensure everyone’s safety. After a few hours, the flight resumed its journey and arrived safely in Chicago.
Though uncommon, severe turbulence incidents have been rising in recent years. Research spotlighted by Fox Business indicates that clear-air turbulence, which lacks visual warning signs like clouds, has significantly increased due to climate change. The research found a 55% increase in severe clear-air turbulence over the North Atlantic from 1979 to 2020 and predicts that turbulence will more than double by 2050 in the mid-Northern Hemisphere.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is conducting an investigation into the incident, which will likely involve reviewing weather data, aircraft performance, and crew response during the event.
Passengers on the flight characterized the turbulence as brief but severe. One passenger, Tyeisha Jefferson, initially thought the plane was landing. When she realized it wasn’t, she began praying.
Another passenger, Patrick Froh, recounted the turbulence as so severe that the flight attendant almost hit the ceiling. He noted that several passengers were injured, and food was scattered around, staining clothes and covering the ceiling. He described it as one of the most unsettling experiences he had ever had on a flight.
United Airlines, like other carriers, consistently advises passengers to keep their seatbelts fastened while seated, even when the seatbelt sign is turned off. This is due to the unpredictable nature of clear-air turbulence, which can occur without any warning and cause sudden, violent aircraft movements.
