A United Express flight from Aspen to Houston ran into severe turbulence while flying over Texas. Flight data shows the plane dropped 4,000 ft in less than a minute before stabilizing.
The pilots declared an emergency before diverting the flight and landing the aircraft safely in Austin. The extent of injuries suffered by any passengers onboard is not clear at this stage, although one person on the flight said on social media that another passenger suffered lost teeth.
United Express Severe Turbulence Over Texas
On Thursday, SkyWest Airlines Flight 5971 (operated on behalf of United Express) from Aspen/Pitkin County Airport (ASE) to 
Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) was in the final stages of the two-hour journey to Houston when it hit bad turbulence in the skies near Fort Worth, Texas. Data from Flightradar24 reveals the aircraft plummeted 4,000 ft in under a minute, including recording a momentary vertical drop of -11,456 ft per minute.
The aircraft – a SkyWest Embraer E175 – had been cruising at an altitude of 39,000 ft but had dropped to 34,650 ft in under 45 seconds. The flight crew squawked 7700, meaning a general emergency, and made the decision to divert to nearby Austin Bergstrom International Airport (AUS), where the aircraft landed safely. According to a CNN report, two passengers were transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
|
Flight |
UA5971 |
|
Operator |
SkyWest Airlines |
|
Aircraft |
Embraer E175 |
|
Route |
Aspen to Houston |
|
Diversion |
Austin-Bergstrom |
|
Injuries |
2 (non-threatening) |
Simple Flying reached out to SkyWest Airlines, and the airline confirmed that two passengers were transported to the hospital. In all, the flight had 43 people onboard, consisting of 39 passengers and four crew members. A spokesperson for the airline said,
“SkyWest flight 5971, operating as United Express from Aspen (ASE) to Houston (IAH), was diverted to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) after experiencing turbulence. The flight landed safely and was met by medical personnel upon arrival. Our highest priority is the safety and well-being of all onboard and we are working with our partner United to assist customers.”
Blood And Possible Missing Teeth
Air traffic control audio courtesy of LiveATC.net captured one of the pilots radioing to the tower that they would need a stretcher for injured passengers and that “there is bleeding as well.” This corroborates social media reports from passengers speaking of the chaos onboard, with some claiming they felt they were going to die.
Footage posted to X from a passenger onboard shows that oxygen masks were deployed, with the passenger stating that someone in front of her had hit the ceiling. This same passenger also stated that a friend of hers had been in the bathroom at the time and “lost some of her teeth”.
Another image shows an in-flight magazine had gotten lodged inside a crevice in the roof and remained there for the rest of the flight, while the aisle was littered with passengers’ belongings. After landing in Austin, the remainder of the flight was canceled. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is also now investigating the incident.
How Dangerous Is Turbulence?
Deaths from turbulence are very rare and happen more frequently on private jets, where passengers are less likely to be strapped into their seatbelts. Airlines are very diligent about being prepared for bouts of turbulence, and pilots do their best to forewarn of possible turbulence ahead so that passengers can equip their seatbelts.
According to the BBC, there have been just four documented deaths from turbulence since 1981. The last turbulence-related death on a commercial flight happened on Singapore Airlines Flight 321 in May 2024. The Boeing 777-300ER flew into severe turbulence just as the cabin crew were conducting meal service and left over 140 people injured, including a 73-year-old man who died from a heart attack.
Many are predicting that turbulence events will rise in the years ahead due to climate change, although technology to predict and avoid them is also improving. According to Professor Paul Williams, atmospheric scientist at the University of Reading, the rate of severe turbulence events onboard flights is expected to double or triple over the next few decades.
