US: Passenger dies after Virginia-bound chartered flight hits strong turbulence

On Friday, a private plane carrying five people from Keene, New Hampshire, to Leesburg, Virginia, was hit by severe turbulence, causing one passenger to be injured and later die. The incident led the plane to divert to Bradley International Airport in Connecticut.

The plane was a Bombardier Challenger 300 and is owned by Conexon, a Missouri-based company that provides high-speed internet to rural areas.

Transportation Safety body is investigating the matter

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating the incident, and Sarah Taylor Sulick, a spokesperson for the NTSB, stated that she had no information on what happened to the passenger or if anyone else was injured.

The NTSB has taken the cockpit voice and data recorders to interview two crew members and the remaining passengers. A preliminary report is expected to be available in two to three weeks.

Turbulence is termed as one of the most unpredictable weather phenomena

Turbulence is a common source of flight anxiety for passengers, causing bellies to drop, drinks to spill, and, in rare cases, bumps and bruises. The National Weather Service in the US describes turbulence as an irregular motion of the air resulting from eddies and vertical currents. It is one of the most unpredictable weather phenomena.