Did Aircraft Turbulence Cause a Spinal Injury?

THE CHALLENGE

During a transatlantic flight from Trinidad and Tobago to New York, a B737-800 encountered turbulence, resulting in low-magnitude accelerations on the aircraft. Following the turbulence, a passenger complained of neck and back pain and claimed that the turbulence event was the source and should have been avoided by the pilot. It was up to Exponent to determine how the loading on the passenger due to turbulence compared to spinal injury mechanics and tolerance, as well as common non-injurious spinal loading conditions.

EXPONENT'S MULTIDISCIPLINARY SOLUTION

Exponent was asked to evaluate the overall aircraft dynamics as well as the passenger's injury complaints and injury potential as they related to the turbulence. A multidisciplinary team with expertise in flight dynamics, pilot operation, and injury biomechanics was assembled to analyze this incident.

Exponent's Impact

Review of the aircraft's digital flight data recorder provided data for comparison to the flight envelope and standard flight loads for use in assessing the biomechanical loads on the passenger's spine. After evaluating aircraft dynamics, we established that the turbulence encountered was comparable to in-flight accelerations and variations in altitude and attitude regularly encountered during commercial aircraft operation and did not constitute an upset or extreme turbulence event. Analysis of the passenger's injury complaints and the biomechanical loads during the incident found a lack of an acute mechanism for her complaints and determined that the loading during the turbulence would have been less than she would have sustained while boarding the aircraft, stowing her luggage, and taking her seat.