In-flight upset - 154 km west of Learmonth, WA, 7 October 2008,

• During the period 1992 to 2001, there were 92 accidents involving injuries toflight attendants, and there were a total of 82 serious injuries and 97 minorinjuries. 235 Only five of the flight attendants were known to be seated at thetime, and only one of these had their seat belt fastened. In that case, the injuryoccurred when the flight attendant attempted to stop a loose service cart withtheir foot. Overall, 70% of the injuries occurred when the seat-belt sign was on.• During the period 1984 to 1999, there were 131 turbulence-related accidents.Flight attendants accounted for 4% of the occupants, 52% of the fatal andserious injuries, and 22% of minor injuries (Tvaryanas 2003). The difference inrisk was attributed to the requirement that flight attendants be unrestrained whileperforming the majority of their crew duties.• During the period 2002 to 2008, turbulence encounters accounted for moreserious injuries than all other types of occurrences (Matthews 2009). Flightattendants accounted for 87% of the serious injuries and 4% of the occupants.The author noted that possible behavioural changes resulting from increasedsecurity concerns since 11 September 2001 may have reduced passenger injuryrisk.In summary, injuries associated with turbulence encounters and other in-flightupsets have demonstrated that injuries are much more likely to occur when theoccupants are not seated or are seated without their seat belt fastened.235Commercial Aviation Safety Team (2001).Turbulence Joint Safety Analysis Team: Analysis andResults. Retrieved 6 August 2009 from http://www.cast-safety.org/pdf/jsat_turbulence.pdf- 277 -