A passenger has told NBC News of the dramatic incident that saw people aboard a Boeing flight thrown into the ceiling, as authorities probed what caused the plane's sudden mid-air plunge.
More than a dozen people were rushed to the hospital on Monday and at least 50 injured after a LATAM airlines flight traveling from Sydney, Australia to Auckland, New Zealand experienced a strong shake, officials said.
Authorities in New Zealand said Tuesday they were seizing the black boxes from the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, which had been due to continue on to Santiago, Chile.
"Everything was going well," said passenger Brian Jokat, who was sitting in a window seat as the flight headed toward New Zealand. Then all of a sudden, the plane took a nosedive down.
People were flying out of their seats, hitting the roof, being thrown back four or five aisles back, Jokat, 61, said in a telephone interview.
Jokat said that while he had his seatbelt on, the passenger in the aisle seat of his row didnt.
I saw him lying on the ceiling looking down at me, he said. He was fully out-stretched, Jokat said. And then bang, I looked behind and everyone was falling off the ceilings, he added.
Jokat said the seatbelt, which he rarely wears during cruising altitude, saved him from the injuries.
But those days are over. I will always keep my seatbelt on, he said. Because what I saw in that plane was people flying like ragdolls.
LATAM Airlines Flight LA800 was carrying 263 passengers along with 9 crew members, the Santiago-based airline said in a statement Tuesday. The flight landed at its scheduled time of 4:26 p.m. Monday (11:26 p.m. Sunday ET) in Auckland after its 2-hour, 42-minute flight.
The plane "experienced a strong shake whose causes are being investigated," the airline said.
Emergency services treated about 50 patients, 12 of whom were taken to the hospital, New Zealands emergency medical service provider Hato Hone St John Ambulance, said in a statement Monday.
The airline said most of those were discharged shortly after and that only two people needed medical attention but without any life-threatening risks.
The aircrafts pilot told the passengers the flight had suffered equipment failure for a few seconds, causing the plane to drop for almost 500 feet in the air, Jokat said. He said my gauges went down, everything went down for one or two seconds and they just lit up again and continued to function, Jokat added.
Some people broke right through the ceiling. So you can see all the wires inside, Jokat said.
New Zealands Transport Accident Investigation Commission is investigating the accident, saying in a statement Tuesday that it was seizing the cockpit voice and flight data recorders.
Chile has appointed a representative to participate in the investigation, the Chilean aviation authority said Monday in a post on X.
Boeing said in a statement Monday that it was gathering more information and will provide any support needed by our customer.
The plane manufacturer has been under fire for multiple safety incidents and technical snags in recent months.
And there's nothing really we can do about it either. Ask Lockheed Martin to make commercial planes?
1. Boeing Commercial Airplane Co. in Everett, Washington has the largest manufacturing site in the world. Employing 30,000 individuals, it opened in 1967 to manufacture 747s. Since then it has grown to encompass 98.7 acres, and is the worlds largest building in terms of volume.
2. Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. in Fort Worth, Texas has a workforce of 16,400. Lockheed Martin never forgot its small-town roots. The company supports its smaller manufacturers with accelerated payments.
3. The Boeing Co. in St. Louis, Missouri employs 16,000 workers. The Boeing Co. is Americas largest manufacturing exporter, and the St. Louis site houses the Prologue Room. This museum showcases pioneers in aviation and their achievements.
4. The Boeing Co. in Renton, Washington employs 12,000 workers, ranking fourth in the industry. This Boeing location is a significant site in the global aerospace industry, renowned for its production of commercial airplanes, defense products, and space systems. The Renton site has a rich history dating back to World War II and continues to be a hub of innovation and production in the aerospace industry, contributing to Boeings presence in more than 150 countries.
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8. Boeing Commercial Airplanes in North Charleston, South Carolina employs a crew of 7,000 to create the safest commercial flights. The companys Confident Travel Initiative eases travelers' minds with cleaning and disinfecting routines.
9. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. in Littleton, Colorado and its 7,000 employees create the GPS systems that serve commercial and military clients. They also invented a shell that protects travelers in outer space.
10. Textron Aviation, Inc. in Wichita, Kansas manufactures Beechcraft, Cessna and Hawker aircraft. With a workforce of 5,400 employees, Textron Aviation customizes its planes to meet customer needs.