Lessons Learned: Turbulence Over Atlantic, Greenland
An Airbus A380-841 aircraft flying LA to London, south of Greenland, encountered turbulence.
An aircraft, flying LA to London, crossed an area of forecast turbulence south of Greenland, which the flight crew was monitoring using a live weather application on their tablet devices. The passenger seatbelt signs were switched on but a short period of turbulence caused two people in the cabin to fall and sustain serious lower leg injuries. Live weather app technology and ground-based medical advisory services assisted the flight crew’s decision-making.
History of the flight
The aircraft was operating a passenger service from Los Angeles international airport to London Heathrow airport. It climbed to FL 390 for the Atlantic crossing. The briefing documentation provided to the crew before departure contained no “significant weather warnings” (SIGMETs) for the route. The North Atlantic significant weather chart valid at 1200 hrs forecasted that the aircraft would transit an area of moderate turbulence south of Greenland.
In addition to the pre-flight briefing documentation the crew had access to a weather “app” on their electronic flight bags, which receives live updates during the flight via the aircraft’s Wi-Fi. From that, the crew became aware of a forecasted area of potentially severe turbulence developing. As the aircraft approached this area, the commander switched on the passenger seatbelt signs. He subsequently asked the cabin crew to secure cabin equipment and take their seats. The app’s live updates showed no actual traces of turbulence in the previous two hours, and a nearby aircraft had experienced insignificant turbulence.
Around 20 minutes after the seat belt signs were switched on, there was an episode of turbulence lasting around 10 to 15 seconds which the commander said he perceived as light to moderate. Recorded data showed the aircraft’s speed varied by around plus or minus 13 KIAS, but was controlled by the autopilot. During this time, a member of cabin crew was lowering her crew seat to strap herself in when the turbulence raised her up after which she fell, breaking her ankle. She called the flight deck using an interphone to explain she was injured. Another member of cabin crew informed the In-flight lead.
Content/image source/credit: AAIB (Air Accidents Investigation Branch), “AAIB investigation to Airbus A380-841, G-XLEI,” published January 8, 2026.
