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| Date: | Saturday 4 May 2024 |
| Time: | 13:13 |
| Type: |  Boeing 737-838 (WL) |
| Owner/operator: | Qantas |
| Registration: | VH-VYK |
| MSN: | 34183/1846 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2005 |
| Engine model: | CFMI CFM56-7B |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 149 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | None |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | 19.4 NM SE of Brisbane International Airport, QLD (BNE) -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Passenger - Scheduled |
| Departure airport: | Sydney-Kingsford Smith International Airport, NSW (SYD/YSSY) |
| Brisbane International Airport, QLD (BNE/YBBN) | |
| Investigating agency: | ATSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Qantas flight QF520, a Boeing 737-800, encountered turbulence.
It was reported that as the aircraft was passing 9,000 ft on descent with the seatbelt sign on and cabin crew not yet seated, the aircraft encountered turbulence. One of the cabin crew members sustained a serious ankle injury. The flight crew notified ATC and an ambulance crew was waiting for the aircraft on arrival.
Contributing factors
- The captain did not communicate to the cabin crew about the expected turbulence, likely as a result of the captain not knowing the severity of the turbulence.
- Three cabin crew were unrestrained while performing duties during unanticipated severe turbulence resulting in all 3 receiving injuries.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
ATSB
https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/2024/report/ao-2024-032
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 18 June 2013 | VH-VYK | Qantas | 0 | Mildura Airport, VIC (MQL/YMIA) | |
non |
| 10 June 2025 | VH-VYK | Qantas | 0 | Sydney-Kingsford Smith International Airport, NSW (SYD/YSSY) | |
non |
| Incapacitation | ||||||
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 13-May-2024 07:59 | ASN | Added |
| 13-May-2024 08:00 | ASN | Updated [Location, ] |
| 07-Jun-2024 17:41 | ASN | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Source, Narrative, Category, ] |
| 27-May-2025 07:49 | ASN | Updated [Narrative, ] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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