Report reveals Qantas safety lapses after turbulence injures crew
A Qantas crew member's leg and ankle were broken, and another continued to work for days with concussion symptoms, after they were injured during severe turbulence on descent to Brisbane last year.
All up, three flight attendants were injured – one seriously – as the Boeing 737-800 hit turbulence as it passed through 11,400 feet, about 36 kilometres south-east of Brisbane.
An Australian Transport Safety Bureau report on the incident, involving a plane carrying 143 passengers on May 4 last year, was released on Tuesday.
The crew member who suffered broken bones as flight QF520 from Sydney came in to land was unable to move from the rear galley floor.
Two cabin crew, including the customer service manager, and two passengers – an off-duty cabin crew employee and a travelling doctor – remained with the injured crew member, unrestrained, during the landing.
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The stricken flight attendant had been in the process of taking their seat when the plane struck turbulence. They rose in the air, struck their head on the ceiling, and landed heavily on their feet, resulting in the breaks.
The attendant was later diagnosed with two breaks in their ankle and another in their leg, which required surgery.
According to the report, the captain did not recall receiving any requests for more time to prepare the cabin for landing, and twice directed all uninjured cabin crew and passengers to return to their seats.
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