Plume-like cloud ‘shot’ in front of Hawaiian Airlines flight seconds before turbulence injured 25, pilot says

nbc ^ | Jan. 13, 2023 | Tim Stelloh

[BenLurkin]

A pilot on a Hawaiian Airlines flight said a plume-like cloud “shot” in front of the plane moments before severe turbulence that left more than two dozen people injured and damaged the aircraft last month, federal officials said Friday.

The pilot, a captain on the Dec. 18 flight from Phoenix to Honolulu, said conditions were smooth and on-board weather radar showed no turbulence as they flew above a layer of cirrostratus clouds at an altitude of between 37,000 and 38,000 feet, the National Transportation Safety Board said in a preliminary report on the incident.

Just after 10 a.m., when the flight was 40 minutes from landing, a “cloud shot up vertically (like a smoke plume) in front of the airplane in a matter of seconds, and there was not enough time to deviate,” the report says.

The pilot told the lead flight attendant about the incoming weather, and within 1 to 3 seconds, the plane — an Airbus A330 — plowed into what the report described as “severely convectively induced turbulence,” the report says.

[George from New England]

Was there a dangling wrapper in the air too with the words ACME on the label ?

[EEGator]

That’s beyond my knowledge set.

[usurper]

“severely convectively induced turbulence,”

Hummm, induced by what??

[Candor7]

ITS GLOBUL SCHWARMING!

Or the ghost of Captain Cook!

[BenLurkin]

Was hoping someone would post that!

[Ezekiel]

a “cloud shot up vertically (like a smoke plume) in front of the airplane in a matter of seconds

Someone flipped the switch on Mega Maid?

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

CAT - Clear Air Turbulence. It happens.

[joma89]

Classic Far Side.

[butlerweave]

Flew into an active climate change ,D’oh

[RedEyeJack]

Volcanos???

[Openurmind]

Portal.

[ViLaLuz]

Someone tried to shoot the plane down?

[TermLimits4All]

This alien encounter will be explained as CAT, clear air turbulence 😁.

[glorgau]

40 minutes from landing - time enough to go stand in line for that last trip to the bathroom.

[Rurudyne]

the Airplane Pilot skit...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PktyJR_U2J0

[ConservativeInPA]

ITS GLOBUL SCHWARMING!

[V_TWIN]

“left more than two dozen people injured and damaged the aircraft last month...”

Not to mention all the underwear that had to be disposed of 😏

[RWGinger]

If there was a cloud shooting upward it was not clear air.