A Lufthansa flight on its way to Frankfurt, Germany experienced severe turbulence on Wednesday, March 1, causing the aircraft to fall approximately 1,000 feet in just a few seconds. After the incident occured, Flight 469 made an unscheduled landing at Dulles Airport at 8:10 p.m. Central Time. Seven people were taken to local hospitals due to injuries sustained in the accident. 

The Airbus A330 was 37,000 feet over Tennessee when it encountered severe turbulence. Turbulence refers to patches of unstable air that can sometimes disrupt flights. A majority of the time, turbulence poses no threat to commercial flights; however, there are incidents that can cause injuries. 

Passengers of Flight 469 recalled a feeling of weightlessness that lasted for a few moments as the plane dropped. One passenger stated that a flight attendant was thrown so hard that he hit the ceiling. This occurred during a meal service, and videos of the aftermath clearly show food and other objects littering the walkways of the plane.