Narrative:

En route from jfk to mia in cruise at FL350. Had been deviating off track (direct dixon NDB to hobie intersection) to avoid numerous circuit breaker's for previous 40 minutes. Seat belt sign on, encountering only light turbulence. At approximately 60 NM northeast of hobie intersection radar showed no further targets on course so resumed direct hobie intersection as cleared. First officer excused himself from cockpit for physiological reasons. In IMC conditions with autoplt on, without warning, encountered sudden severe turbulence and rain. Aircraft buffeted and suddenly gained 400' of altitude. I immediately took control of aircraft and maintained wings level and nose on artificial horizon. By this time aircraft was descending at 4000 FPM. Rather than make an abrupt correction, I allowed the aircraft to go through assigned altitude by 500' before returning to assigned altitude. Airspeed variation noted during encounter was +/-10 KTS. My immediate concern then was for the safety of passenger and crew, but was unable to contact purser on interphone. By this time first officer had returned to the cockpit. After he was in seat, I left aircraft control to him and stepped through cockpit door to find purser. A F/a in forward cabin said purser had gone aft as some attendants in aft cabin had been bounced around. He said no passenger had reported injuries. I requested that he ask purser to contact me as soon as duties permitted and returned to the cockpit. I considered calling ZJX, but by this time we were in contact with ZMA. Since a SIGMET was already in effect for the area, I felt no useful purpose would be served by contacting ZMA concerning the turbulence encounter and altitude deviation. Purser came to cockpit and informed me that 5 F/a's in aft cabin had received various bumps, bruises and scratches. Immediately informed company in miami to have medical personnel meet aircraft upon landing. Then commenced descent and landing without further incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB ENROUTE AT FL350 ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE THAT MILDLY INJURED 5 CABIN ATTENDANTS.

Narrative: ENRTE FROM JFK TO MIA IN CRUISE AT FL350. HAD BEEN DEVIATING OFF TRACK (DIRECT DIXON NDB TO HOBIE INTXN) TO AVOID NUMEROUS CB'S FOR PREVIOUS 40 MINUTES. SEAT BELT SIGN ON, ENCOUNTERING ONLY LIGHT TURBULENCE. AT APPROX 60 NM NE OF HOBIE INTXN RADAR SHOWED NO FURTHER TARGETS ON COURSE SO RESUMED DIRECT HOBIE INTXN AS CLRED. F/O EXCUSED HIMSELF FROM COCKPIT FOR PHYSIOLOGICAL REASONS. IN IMC CONDITIONS WITH AUTOPLT ON, WITHOUT WARNING, ENCOUNTERED SUDDEN SEVERE TURBULENCE AND RAIN. ACFT BUFFETED AND SUDDENLY GAINED 400' OF ALT. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK CONTROL OF ACFT AND MAINTAINED WINGS LEVEL AND NOSE ON ARTIFICIAL HORIZON. BY THIS TIME ACFT WAS DESCENDING AT 4000 FPM. RATHER THAN MAKE AN ABRUPT CORRECTION, I ALLOWED THE ACFT TO GO THROUGH ASSIGNED ALT BY 500' BEFORE RETURNING TO ASSIGNED ALT. AIRSPEED VARIATION NOTED DURING ENCOUNTER WAS +/-10 KTS. MY IMMEDIATE CONCERN THEN WAS FOR THE SAFETY OF PAX AND CREW, BUT WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT PURSER ON INTERPHONE. BY THIS TIME F/O HAD RETURNED TO THE COCKPIT. AFTER HE WAS IN SEAT, I LEFT ACFT CONTROL TO HIM AND STEPPED THROUGH COCKPIT DOOR TO FIND PURSER. A F/A IN FORWARD CABIN SAID PURSER HAD GONE AFT AS SOME ATTENDANTS IN AFT CABIN HAD BEEN BOUNCED AROUND. HE SAID NO PAX HAD REPORTED INJURIES. I REQUESTED THAT HE ASK PURSER TO CONTACT ME AS SOON AS DUTIES PERMITTED AND RETURNED TO THE COCKPIT. I CONSIDERED CALLING ZJX, BUT BY THIS TIME WE WERE IN CONTACT WITH ZMA. SINCE A SIGMET WAS ALREADY IN EFFECT FOR THE AREA, I FELT NO USEFUL PURPOSE WOULD BE SERVED BY CONTACTING ZMA CONCERNING THE TURBULENCE ENCOUNTER AND ALT DEVIATION. PURSER CAME TO COCKPIT AND INFORMED ME THAT 5 F/A'S IN AFT CABIN HAD RECEIVED VARIOUS BUMPS, BRUISES AND SCRATCHES. IMMEDIATELY INFORMED COMPANY IN MIAMI TO HAVE MEDICAL PERSONNEL MEET ACFT UPON LNDG. THEN COMMENCED DSCNT AND LNDG WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.