SINGAPORE: Pilots should adopt a more conservative approach when flying near weather and take steps to secure the cabin earlier, Singapore’s transport safety investigators said, after separate turbulence incidents involving a Singapore Airlines (SIA) and a Scoot flight left cabin crew injured.
In final reports released about a year after the incidents, the Transport Safety Investigation Bureau (TSIB) said the cases underscored the need for flight crews to be cautious when operating near weather and to take early action to reduce the risk of injuries from turbulence.
The bureau conducts independent investigations into air, marine and rail accidents and incidents. Its reports are not meant to assign blame, it said.
TSIB classified both occurrences as accidents. In both reports, the bureau said no safety recommendation was proposed in view of the safety actions taken by the operators.
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On Jun 27, 2025, an SIA Airbus A350-900 was descending to Shanghai Pudong International Airport when it encountered turbulence at around 27,000 feet.
Shortly after commencing the descent, the flight crew observed that the weather radar display showed two weather cells on their flight path, with a clear area between the two masses which could also be seen through the windshield.
Both pilots decided to navigate the aircraft through the path, which was about 20 nautical miles wide. During this, the plane entered a layer of cloud and had to rely on the weather radar for navigation.
When the aircraft exited the cloud layer, the flight crew realised that it was very close to the left weather cell. A change of heading was made, but the plane could not avoid turbulence.
This resulted in injuries to six cabin crew members, including one who suffered a left ankle fracture. The other five sustained minor injuries, while no passengers or flight crew were injured.
At the time, the fasten-seat-belt signs were on for passengers, but the cabin crew were allowed to continue with their duties. Instructing the crew to be seated before travelling between the weather cells could have reduced the risk of turbulence injury, TSIB said.
This incident is a reminder that planes' onboard radar has limitations and that displayed weather information may not accurately represent the external weather conditions, especially when visibility is poor, said TSIB.
Afterwards, SIA revised its secure cabin procedure to encourage pilots to take a more conservative approach to turbulence management.
The scenario of unanticipated turbulence has also been incorporated into SIA's joint technical and cabin crew training. All crew members have completed this training at least once as of May 5 this year, TSIB said.
A new Rapidly Developing Cumulus Area tool has also been introduced as an additional layer of information in the weather awareness solution application available to the flight crew.
"The tool provides the pilots with information to enhance turbulence monitoring and make more accurate assessments for flight management," added TSIB.
In the other incident, a Scoot flight bound for Guangzhou on Jun 9, 2025, encountered turbulence while cruising over international waters in the Ho Chi Minh flight information region.
The plane had been cruising for about 50 minutes when its speed began to creep upwards. Concerned that this signalled turbulence ahead, the flight crew intended to request permission from Ho Chi Minh air traffic control to deviate to the right of their flight path, but were unable to do so due to heavy radio traffic.
The pilot believed the plane could fly through a green patch of weather returns that radar indicated contained light precipitation, which is generally considered safe to pass through. As a precaution, the fasten seat belt sign was turned on to get passengers seated.
Before the pilot could ask the cabin crew to suspend services and get seated, the plane was hit by about 32 seconds of turbulence.
"During the onset of the turbulence, some of the cabin crew members were lifted off momentarily and fell back onto the cabin floor," TSIB said.
Two cabin crew members were injured, one seriously and one with minor injuries. No passengers or flight crew were injured. The injured cabin crew members were sent to a local hospital for treatment after the plane landed in Guangzhou.
Had the fasten-seat-belt sign been switched on when the deviation was being considered, together with a PA announcement to the cabin crew, it might have given the cabin crew more time to secure themselves, TSIB found.
"The occurrence underscores the need for flight crews to be cautious when operating near weather and, when in doubt, to switch on the fasten-seat-belt sign and make a PA announcement early to inform cabin crew members of the next course of action," the bureau said.
It added that in cases where there is insufficient time to make a PA announcement, the flight crew can cycle the fasten seat belt sign switch more than once.
After this incident, flight crews were reminded that they may deviate from their flight path without prior clearance to avoid weather and to use a special radio frequency if the regular one is congested.
All Scoot cabin crew also underwent a refreshed module on turbulence management.
In response to CNA's queries, SIA and Scoot said that they acknowledge TSIB's findings and that they have fully cooperated with the relevant authorities and reviewed all findings in the reports.
SIA noted that it has taken several measures over the past two years to enhance its in-flight turbulence management processes, including introducing additional tools on pilots’ electronic flight tablets to help detect, anticipate and avoid areas of turbulence, strengthening pilot and cabin crew training, enhancing passenger seat-belt communications, issuing additional operational guidance on weather radar use and sharing weather radar reports with aircraft and weather radar manufacturers.
Scoot said it will continue to review its operating procedures regularly to further strengthen its safety protocols. It added that all crew members who operated the affected flight have resumed flying duties.
SIA said the affected crew members on its flight have also returned to flying duties.
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In final reports released about a year after the incidents, the Transport Safety Investigation Bureau (TSIB) said the cases underscored the need for flight crews to be cautious when operating near weather and to take early action to reduce the risk of injuries from turbulence.
The bureau conducts independent investigations into air, marine and rail accidents and incidents. Its reports are not meant to assign blame, it said.
TSIB classified both occurrences as accidents. In both reports, the bureau said no safety recommendation was proposed in view of the safety actions taken by the operators.
SIA INCIDENT
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On Jun 27, 2025, an SIA Airbus A350-900 was descending to Shanghai Pudong International Airport when it encountered turbulence at around 27,000 feet.
Shortly after commencing the descent, the flight crew observed that the weather radar display showed two weather cells on their flight path, with a clear area between the two masses which could also be seen through the windshield.
Both pilots decided to navigate the aircraft through the path, which was about 20 nautical miles wide. During this, the plane entered a layer of cloud and had to rely on the weather radar for navigation.
When the aircraft exited the cloud layer, the flight crew realised that it was very close to the left weather cell. A change of heading was made, but the plane could not avoid turbulence.
This resulted in injuries to six cabin crew members, including one who suffered a left ankle fracture. The other five sustained minor injuries, while no passengers or flight crew were injured.
At the time, the fasten-seat-belt signs were on for passengers, but the cabin crew were allowed to continue with their duties. Instructing the crew to be seated before travelling between the weather cells could have reduced the risk of turbulence injury, TSIB said.
This incident is a reminder that planes' onboard radar has limitations and that displayed weather information may not accurately represent the external weather conditions, especially when visibility is poor, said TSIB.
Afterwards, SIA revised its secure cabin procedure to encourage pilots to take a more conservative approach to turbulence management.
The scenario of unanticipated turbulence has also been incorporated into SIA's joint technical and cabin crew training. All crew members have completed this training at least once as of May 5 this year, TSIB said.
A new Rapidly Developing Cumulus Area tool has also been introduced as an additional layer of information in the weather awareness solution application available to the flight crew.
"The tool provides the pilots with information to enhance turbulence monitoring and make more accurate assessments for flight management," added TSIB.
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SCOOT INCIDENT
In the other incident, a Scoot flight bound for Guangzhou on Jun 9, 2025, encountered turbulence while cruising over international waters in the Ho Chi Minh flight information region.
The plane had been cruising for about 50 minutes when its speed began to creep upwards. Concerned that this signalled turbulence ahead, the flight crew intended to request permission from Ho Chi Minh air traffic control to deviate to the right of their flight path, but were unable to do so due to heavy radio traffic.
The pilot believed the plane could fly through a green patch of weather returns that radar indicated contained light precipitation, which is generally considered safe to pass through. As a precaution, the fasten seat belt sign was turned on to get passengers seated.
Before the pilot could ask the cabin crew to suspend services and get seated, the plane was hit by about 32 seconds of turbulence.
"During the onset of the turbulence, some of the cabin crew members were lifted off momentarily and fell back onto the cabin floor," TSIB said.
Two cabin crew members were injured, one seriously and one with minor injuries. No passengers or flight crew were injured. The injured cabin crew members were sent to a local hospital for treatment after the plane landed in Guangzhou.
Had the fasten-seat-belt sign been switched on when the deviation was being considered, together with a PA announcement to the cabin crew, it might have given the cabin crew more time to secure themselves, TSIB found.
"The occurrence underscores the need for flight crews to be cautious when operating near weather and, when in doubt, to switch on the fasten-seat-belt sign and make a PA announcement early to inform cabin crew members of the next course of action," the bureau said.
It added that in cases where there is insufficient time to make a PA announcement, the flight crew can cycle the fasten seat belt sign switch more than once.
After this incident, flight crews were reminded that they may deviate from their flight path without prior clearance to avoid weather and to use a special radio frequency if the regular one is congested.
All Scoot cabin crew also underwent a refreshed module on turbulence management.
AIRLINES' RESPONSE
In response to CNA's queries, SIA and Scoot said that they acknowledge TSIB's findings and that they have fully cooperated with the relevant authorities and reviewed all findings in the reports.
SIA noted that it has taken several measures over the past two years to enhance its in-flight turbulence management processes, including introducing additional tools on pilots’ electronic flight tablets to help detect, anticipate and avoid areas of turbulence, strengthening pilot and cabin crew training, enhancing passenger seat-belt communications, issuing additional operational guidance on weather radar use and sharing weather radar reports with aircraft and weather radar manufacturers.
Scoot said it will continue to review its operating procedures regularly to further strengthen its safety protocols. It added that all crew members who operated the affected flight have resumed flying duties.
SIA said the affected crew members on its flight have also returned to flying duties.
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