Windsor Locks, Conn. – A commercial jet was struck by severe turbulence over New England, killing one passenger and forcing the flight to be diverted to Bradley International Airport in Connecticut, officials said Saturday.
Five people were aboard a Bombardier executive jet that was struck by turbulence Friday afternoon as it traveled from Keene, New Hampshire, to Leesburg, Virginia, National Transportation Safety Board spokeswoman Sarah Sulick said.
The extent of the damage was unclear and the NTSB did not provide details on the cause of death. According to a Federal Aviation Administration database, the jet is owned by Connexon, a telecommunications company based in Kansas City, Missouri. The company declined to comment Saturday.
NTSB investigators interviewed two crew members and a surviving passenger as part of their investigation into the fatal encounter with turbulence, Sulik said. The jet’s cockpit voice and data recorders have been sent to the NTSP headquarters for examination, he said.
Turbulence, which is unstable air in the atmosphere, remains a major cause of injury to air travelers despite improvements in aviation safety over the years.
Earlier this week, Seven people were injured A Lufthansa Airbus A330 experienced turbulence while flying from Texas to Germany and was badly taken to hospitals. The flight was diverted to Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia.
Turmoil on more than one count About one-third of all accidents occur on large commercial aircraft Between 2009 and 2018, according to the NTSB.
