It was supposed to be a standard hop. Phoenix to Honolulu. December 18, 2022. Most people on Hawaiian Airlines Flight 35 were probably thinking about mai tais, the beach, or maybe just surviving a long-haul flight with a toddler in the row behind them. They didn't know they were about to experience one of the most violent turbulence incidents in recent aviation history.
Air travel is usually boring. Honestly, that’s the goal. But for the 278 passengers and 10 crew members aboard that Airbus A330-200, "boring" disappeared in a heartbeat.
About 30 minutes before landing, the plane hit a patch of severe clear-air turbulence. This isn't your average "jiggle the coffee" bump. This was the kind of atmospheric violence that launches people into the ceiling. It happened at roughly 36,000 feet. There was no warning. No "fasten seatbelt" chime ringing out with enough lead time to matter. Just a sudden, sickening drop.
Why Hawaiian Airlines Flight 35 Was Not Your Normal Bump
Most of us have felt that fluttering in our stomach when a plane hits a pocket of air. Pilots call it "light chop." But what happened to Hawaiian Airlines Flight 35 was a different beast entirely. We are talking about vertical accelerations that exceeded the force of gravity.
When the plane dropped, anything—and anyone—not strapped down went up.
Imagine it. One second you're reading a book, the next you're hitting the overhead bins. Reports from the scene were pretty grim. Oxygen masks dropped, not because of depressurization, but because the impact was so hard it literally shook them out of the ceiling. 36 people were injured. 11 of them were "serious." We’re talking about head lacerations, bruises, loss of consciousness, and spinal injuries. It was chaos.
The NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) later looked into the meteorology of the day. There was a massive cell of thunderstorms in the area. While the pilots were trying to navigate around it, a localized patch of air essentially gave way.
The Science of Clear-Air Turbulence (CAT)
Meteorologists often point to the jet stream. It’s a river of fast-moving air. When that air meets slower air, it creates friction. You can’t see it. Radar doesn't usually pick it up because there's no moisture—no rain or ice crystals—for the radio waves to bounce off of. That is why CAT is so dangerous. It’s invisible.
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In the case of Flight 35, there was a convective layer. This basically means warm air was rising fast, hitting colder air above it, and creating a mess of instability.
The Immediate Aftermath and Response
The pilots did what they were trained to do. They declared an emergency. Emergency responders were waiting at the gate in Honolulu like a small army.
It’s interesting to look at the data. The flight landed at 10:50 AM. Within minutes, the Honolulu Emergency Medical Services (EMS) had set up a triage center right there at the airport. You've got people coming off a plane with blood on their clothes and looks of pure shock on their faces. It looked like a scene from a movie, but it was very real.
The Human Toll
A lot of the injuries happened because people were simply caught off guard. Some were returning from the bathroom. Others just had their belts loosely fastened.
One passenger mentioned that the person next to them hit the ceiling so hard they cracked the plastic panels. That’s not a "bump." That’s a collision. When the NTSB released their preliminary report, they noted that the "fasten seatbelt" sign was actually on at the time of the encounter, but the suddenness of the event meant people didn't have time to react if they weren't already buckled in.
Lessons From the Skies: How to Stay Safe
Look, I'm not trying to scare you off flying. Flying is still statistically safer than driving to the grocery store. But Hawaiian Airlines Flight 35 serves as a massive wake-up call for how we behave in our seats.
Aviation experts, including those from the Flight Safety Foundation, have been screaming this for years: keep your belt on. Even if the sign is off. Even if the air feels as smooth as glass.
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- The "Slack" Mistake: People often keep the belt so loose it’s basically decorative. If the plane drops 50 feet in a second, a loose belt lets you fly up just enough to snap your neck or hit your head. Keep it snug over your hips.
- The Overhead Bin Myth: People think those bins are locked tight. They aren't. In severe turbulence, they can pop open. Heavy bags become projectiles.
- The Bathroom Risk: This is the hardest one. If you're in the lavatory when severe turbulence hits, you have almost no protection. If you feel even a slight chop while in there, get back to your seat immediately.
Is Turbulence Getting Worse?
Kinda. Yeah.
There is a growing body of research, specifically from places like the University of Reading in the UK, suggesting that climate change is making clear-air turbulence more frequent and more intense. As the atmosphere warms, the wind shear in the jet streams increases. This means the "invisible" bumps that rocked Hawaiian Airlines Flight 35 might become more common in the coming decades.
It’s not just a Hawaiian problem. It’s a global aviation shift.
What the NTSB Found in the Investigation
The investigation into Flight 35 wasn't just about blaming the pilots. Far from it. The NTSB looked at the weather briefings the crew received before taking off from Phoenix.
The pilots saw the weather data. They knew there were storms. They were even using their on-board radar to navigate. But the specific patch of air that caused the drop was so localized and happened so fast that the radar couldn't warn them in time. The captain later stated that a "cloud shot up" in front of the aircraft within seconds. There was no time to turn.
It highlights a limitation in current technology. We are good at seeing storms. We are still "sorta" okay at predicting the invisible air movements around them.
Practical Steps for Your Next Flight
You don't need to be a meteorologist to protect yourself. You just need to change your habits.
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First, ignore what the "cool" travelers do. You know the ones—they unbuckle the second the chime goes off and stay unbuckled for five hours. That’s a gamble. The people who walked off Hawaiian Airlines Flight 35 without a scratch were the ones who stayed buckled.
Second, pay attention to the pre-flight briefing. I know, you've heard it a thousand times. But knowing where the nearest exit is and how to brace can save your life when the cabin is literally upside down.
Lastly, if you see the flight attendants rushing to their seats and buckling in, you should probably make sure your tray table is stowed and your belt is tight. They have a sixth sense for this stuff, and they get the same weather updates the pilots do.
What to Do If You're Injured
If you ever find yourself in a situation like Flight 35, the steps you take after landing are critical.
- Seek Triage Immediately: Even if you feel "fine," adrenaline masks pain. Concussions and internal injuries can take hours to manifest.
- Document Everything: If you can, take photos of the cabin and any visible injuries. This is for insurance and safety reporting.
- Follow Up with a Specialist: Spinal jolts from turbulence can lead to long-term issues if not checked by a doctor.
Hawaiian Airlines Flight 35 was a fluke in terms of its severity, but it wasn't an impossible event. It was a reminder that we are flying at 500 miles per hour through a chaotic, moving fluid—the atmosphere. It’s a powerful force. Respecting that force means staying buckled, staying alert, and realizing that the "fasten seatbelt" sign isn't just a suggestion. It’s there for a very good, very violent reason.
Next time you're flying over the Pacific, or anywhere for that matter, keep that belt snug. You might not need it for 99% of the flight, but for that one second where the world drops out from under you, it’s the only thing that matters.