Narrative:

While en route from atl to iah we descended from FL310 to FL220 for clouds. Prior to descent the seatbelt sign was illuminated and 2 PA's were made to the passenger to remain seated with their seatbelts securely fastened in addition to the initial PA reminding passenger to have their seatbelt fastened while seated in case of unexpected turbulence. After deviating north of course, we rounded the corner to proceed direct das for the das arrival to iah. Radar showed 1 more area of thunderstorms for us to navigate around. Radar and visual cues showed an approximately 30 mi gap between storms with sunshine between. As we approached this area we again received clearance to deviate then direct das when able. I then made a PA with the current iah WX and informed the passenger of the WX ahead and to remain seated with seatbelts securely fastened. As we passed north of the first area we turned left, the clearest direction with nothing on radar, to proceed direct das. As we finished our turn we were in and out of cirrus. At 12 O'clock, less than 1/2 mi was a small thunderstorm with tops to estimated FL230. With no room to turn, the captain put the ignition to override just prior to entering. The aircraft started to climb. The autoplt could not keep us and kicked off about the time of our one big jolt of turbulence. The captain was following on the controls and in a few seconds we popped out in smooth air 2-300' above assigned altitude. A timely correction was made to FL220 and the rest of the flight was uneventful. 5 passenger elected to ignore the 4 PA's and the seatbelt sign which left them with some minor bruises and 1 of the 5 using the term 'negligent' rather freely. All passenger were offered paramedics. Only 1 accepted, then later declined.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INFLT WX ENCOUNTER. SEVERE TURBULENCE. REPORTED PASSENGER INJURIES.

Narrative: WHILE ENRTE FROM ATL TO IAH WE DESCENDED FROM FL310 TO FL220 FOR CLOUDS. PRIOR TO DSCNT THE SEATBELT SIGN WAS ILLUMINATED AND 2 PA'S WERE MADE TO THE PAX TO REMAIN SEATED WITH THEIR SEATBELTS SECURELY FASTENED IN ADDITION TO THE INITIAL PA REMINDING PAX TO HAVE THEIR SEATBELT FASTENED WHILE SEATED IN CASE OF UNEXPECTED TURBULENCE. AFTER DEVIATING N OF COURSE, WE ROUNDED THE CORNER TO PROCEED DIRECT DAS FOR THE DAS ARR TO IAH. RADAR SHOWED 1 MORE AREA OF TSTMS FOR US TO NAVIGATE AROUND. RADAR AND VISUAL CUES SHOWED AN APPROX 30 MI GAP BETWEEN STORMS WITH SUNSHINE BETWEEN. AS WE APCHED THIS AREA WE AGAIN RECEIVED CLRNC TO DEVIATE THEN DIRECT DAS WHEN ABLE. I THEN MADE A PA WITH THE CURRENT IAH WX AND INFORMED THE PAX OF THE WX AHEAD AND TO REMAIN SEATED WITH SEATBELTS SECURELY FASTENED. AS WE PASSED N OF THE FIRST AREA WE TURNED LEFT, THE CLEAREST DIRECTION WITH NOTHING ON RADAR, TO PROCEED DIRECT DAS. AS WE FINISHED OUR TURN WE WERE IN AND OUT OF CIRRUS. AT 12 O'CLOCK, LESS THAN 1/2 MI WAS A SMALL TSTM WITH TOPS TO ESTIMATED FL230. WITH NO ROOM TO TURN, THE CAPT PUT THE IGNITION TO OVERRIDE JUST PRIOR TO ENTERING. THE ACFT STARTED TO CLIMB. THE AUTOPLT COULD NOT KEEP US AND KICKED OFF ABOUT THE TIME OF OUR ONE BIG JOLT OF TURBULENCE. THE CAPT WAS FOLLOWING ON THE CONTROLS AND IN A FEW SECONDS WE POPPED OUT IN SMOOTH AIR 2-300' ABOVE ASSIGNED ALT. A TIMELY CORRECTION WAS MADE TO FL220 AND THE REST OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. 5 PAX ELECTED TO IGNORE THE 4 PA'S AND THE SEATBELT SIGN WHICH LEFT THEM WITH SOME MINOR BRUISES AND 1 OF THE 5 USING THE TERM 'NEGLIGENT' RATHER FREELY. ALL PAX WERE OFFERED PARAMEDICS. ONLY 1 ACCEPTED, THEN LATER DECLINED.

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.