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CAL Pax Paralyzed with Broken Neck

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AKAAB

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 13, 2003
Posts
503
Severe turbulence paralyzes woman in airplane restroom

AP

McALLEN, Texas (AP) — A South Texas woman remained paralyzed Monday after her Continental Airlines flight from Houston to McAllen experienced severe turbulence.

Three people in all were taken to a local hospital Saturday when Continental flight 511 landed in McAllen at 2:17 a.m., said Continental spokeswoman Mary Clark.

One passenger and a crew member were treated and released, Clark said.

But a 47-year-old woman who was in the airplane's restroom at the time of the turbulence suffered a fractured neck, Dr. Trey Fulp, an orthopedic spine surgeon at McAllen Medical Center told The McAllen Monitor Monday. The woman, who Fulp did not identify for privacy reasons, was thrown against the ceiling.

Doctors spent six hours operating on her back after the plane landed Saturday and planned to operate on her neck Monday. The back injury left her paralyzed from the chest down, Fulp said. It was unclear if the paralysis would be permanent, he said.

The flight's departure from Houston had been delayed, but the plane had begun its descent into McAllen when it encountered "sudden turbulence." The seat belt signs were illuminated at the time, Clark said.
 
Had the FAA in the jumpseat today who apparently was one of the initial guys to investigate. His assessment was the pilots did what they were supposed to, two FA's were injured by being up, one pax was in his seat with no seat belt and suffered a head injury, and the woman in the lav. The DFDR boxes have been pulled as well. Not sure if there was any damage to the aircraft.
 
Had the FAA in the jumpseat today who apparently was one of the initial guys to investigate. His assessment was the pilots did what they were supposed to, two FA's were injured by being up, one pax was in his seat with no seat belt and suffered a head injury, and the woman in the lav. The DFDR boxes have been pulled as well. Not sure if there was any damage to the aircraft.


First they have to determine that the flight crew didn't knowingly fly into bad juju (radar).
 

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