There have been 38 turbulence-related deaths involving Part 91 planes since 2009, and in almost all of these incidents, the turbulence caused a fatal crash, according to NTSB data. Though there have been no commercial deaths from turbulence in over a decade, it can still create serious risks.
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In modern times (the last 30 years or so), no modern aircraft (anything built in the last 30 years), has had an in flight break up leading to a crash due to turbulence at cruise altitude. It just doesn't happen.
The most important thing to know is that turbulence isn't dangerous. It might be a bit uncomfortable, but your plane is built to handle the worst. Even in the most severe turbulence, your plane isn't moving nearly as much as you think!
For nervous flyers, turbulence can be frightening, especially when it's severe. Some might even think that these strong forces would be enough to break the aircraft. In reality, airplanes, especially large airliners, are built with enough strength to withstand almost all naturally occurring turbulence.
While pilots can't actually see turbulence, they often know what is coming up, thanks to reports from other planes, weather reports, and radar equipment. However, clear air turbulence (severe turbulence occurring in cloudless areas) can sometimes catch pilots off guard.
They follow well-established protocols to handle such situations seamlessly. Each aircraft is equipped with a designated Turbulence Penetration Speed, which is slower than the regular cruising speed. During turbulent encounters, pilots can reduce their speed to this level, ensuring a smoother flight.
Severe turbulence can cause a plane to drop so suddenly that pilots temporarily lose control. But, again, that's not enough to crash the plane. That's not to say it's never happened.
DENVER (CBS4) – Colorado and the Rocky Mountains are among the worst areas for turbulence in the United States. It's a problem that injures dozens of passengers and crew members nationwide every year.
When an aircraft experiences turbulence, the plane can drop or change altitude suddenly. This is why pilots always caution passengers to buckle up and stay seated when they are experiencing flight turbulence. The sudden movements put passengers at risk.
Flying into certain airports near the equator. There are certain airports which are located close to the equator which means frequent thunderstorms, especially in certain seasons. ...
While turbulence can feel scary, airplanes are designed to withstand massive amounts of it. A plane cannot be flipped upside-down, thrown into a tailspin, or otherwise flung from the sky by even the mightiest gust or air pocket, wrote pilot Patrick Smith on his site, AskThePilot.com.
Winter has strong winds and blizzards, and summer's hot heat can create unstable air, thunderstorms, and tropical storms. That means flying during the holidays often means more turbulence than other times of the year. So if possible, avoid flying between December and February or June and August for a smoother flight.
The bigger the plane, the better! Any plane can experience turbulence, but larger planes weigh more and don't feel the impact of wind changes as much as a smaller plane. Specifically, the Airbus A380 handles turbulence very well! The A380 is a large plane mainly used for international flights.
Aircraft are fully designed to fly in turbulence. We have turbulence “levels” for our cabin crew as well. You might even hear a PA that commands flight attendants to take an immediate seat. This means taking any open seat in the cabin because they can't make it back to their jump seats in time to buckle in!
Even with turbulence, air travel is still the safest option
First, turbulence has not caused an airplane to crash for over 50 years. So, the chances of you being on the first plane to do so in almost half a century are slim to none.
Whichever plane you end up on, opt for a seat where the effects of turbulence are less dramatic. Travelling in the middle of the plane (near the wings and its centre of gravity) ensures a less bumpy ride while a seat at the back will be the most rocky.
A rough estimate of the probability of an airplane going down due to an emergency is about 1 in 11 million, meaning it would take us quite a few lifetimes before actually experiencing a plane crash. That's a whopping 0.00001% chance that something will go terribly wrong on your flight.
In some cases, such as the “Miracle on the Hudson”, the aircraft is ditched without major damage and it may actually float for some time. Eventually, all of them will sink. A “crash” implies an uncontrolled landing in which the aircraft is significantly damaged and will quickly sink.
It might be surprising to learn that turbulence is actually worse in the daytime. In the early morning and night time, wind speeds typically reduce, and thunderstorms clear up. Avoid turbulence and catch up on some sleep by choosing flights with an early morning or red-eye departure!
A poll taken on A Fly Guy's Cabin Crew Lounge, the largest network of airline staff on social media, revealed that most airline crew not only like turbulence, but they also enjoy it! That's a comforting thought to think about the next time you're worried when your plane starts shaking. '