JAL Boeing 737-800 Crew Member Hurt in Turbulence Near Izu-Oshima

JAL Boeing 737-800 Crew Member Hurt in Turbulence Near Izu-Oshima

Tokyo, July 25, 2026

A Japan Airlines (JAL) Boeing 737-846(WL), registration JA335J, encountered severe turbulence during its descent toward Tokyo Haneda Airport on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, injuring a cabin crew member. The aircraft was operating flight JL672 from Oita when the event occurred as the aircraft descended through flight level 180 south of Izu-Oshima island.

Preliminary reports indicate the sudden turbulence threw a cabin crew member onto the cover of an emergency slide, causing a fracture to the left rib. No passengers were injured, and the aircraft sustained no structural damage. The flight continued its approach and landed safely at Haneda Airport.

Investigation Launched

Despite the absence of aircraft damage, the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) classified the occurrence as an aircraft accident. The Japan Transport Safety Board (JTSB) formally launched an investigation on July 23. The probe is expected to examine weather conditions, turbulence forecasting, and cabin safety protocols in place during the descent.

Japan Airlines, the nation's flag carrier, relies heavily on the Boeing 737-800 for its high-frequency domestic network. The 737-800 is a cornerstone of Boeing's Next Generation (NG) narrowbody family, widely operated on short- to medium-haul regional sectors across Japan and Asia.

Source: Aviation Safety Network — ASN Wikibase #574488