Korean B744 near Tokyo on Jul 5th 2012, inflight upset causes injury

A Korean Air Boeing 747-400, registration HL7473 performing flight KE-2711 from Seoul Gimpo (South Korea) to Tokyo Haneda (Japan), was enroute at FL370 about 140nm northwest of Tokyo's Haneda Airport at about 20:13L (11:13Z) when the aircraft experienced an inflight upset, possibly as result of clear air turbulence, causing an injury to a passenger. The aircraft continued to Haneda Airport for a safe landing on runway 34L about 45 minutes later.

Japan's TSB opened an investigation into the accident implicitly identifying the injury as serious reporting a passenger (initially identified as flight attendant) received an injury as result of an inflight upset.

The airline reported the aircraft encountered clear air turbulence causing inuries to a passenger.

A similiar upset had occurred about 6 hours earlier, see Accident: United B772 near Tokyo on Jul 5th 2012, upset injures two cabin crew.

On Jan 31st 2014 the JTSB released their final report concluding the probable cause of the accident was:

It is highly probable that this accident occurred because the aircraft was shaken as it encountered turbulence during a descent, causing one passenger who was not in his seat to be thrown off-balance to sustain serious injuries.

It is probable that the turbulence was caused by VWS or unstable atmospheric conditions where convective clouds developed.

The JTSB reported the passenger was standing in the aisle to go to the lavatory when the upset occurred and threw the passenger off balance, who fell against the door L4 onto his back and then to the floor. At the time of the upset the fasten seat belt signs were not illuminated.

Infrared Satellite Image MTSAT Jul 5th 2012 12:00Z (Graphics: AVH/MTSAT):