Narrative:

At FL370, .801 mn cruise, severe turbulence was encountered suddenly along with entrance into IMC conditions. Airspeed increased to approximately 10 KIAS over red line. Autoplt and automatic throttles were disconnected. Power was reduced to get airspeed below red line and pitch attitude was maintained. Aircraft descended to FL360. After approximately 20 seconds, cloud was exited and turbulence ceased. Aircraft was climbed back to FL370. Houston center was notified. The seat belt sign was on, but 4 passenger were not wearing them, and received minor injuries. 3 F/a's received minor injuries. 1 passenger standing in the rear of the aircraft was struck in the back by a service cart. The other 3 passenger hit the ceiling and landed in the rosw behind their original seats. The 3 F/a's were all in the rear galley and also hit the ceiling and walls. The WX radar was on the 120 NM range and tilted down 5 degree, no returns were observed along the projected flight path at any time. Lightning had been observed in the distance both to the north and south of track. The company WX forecast stated 'cdfnt srn ark southwest wind thru south/central tex. Few thunderstorms along northeast tex and la glf CST valid 070000Z to 072200Z dec 89.' houston center had no ride reports along the route other than a jet who had a smooth ride at fl's 410 and 430. The moon had set prior to the incident. 3 passenger were treated for minor injuries and released at a local hospital. The flight had departed lax at XA45Z and landed mia at XB30Z.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MINOR INJURIES TO SEVERAL PASSENGERS AND CABIN ATTENDANTS AS ACFT ENCOUNTERS TURBULENCE ON A MOONLESS NIGHT FLT. WX RADAR HAD NOT DISPLAYED ANY WX ON THE ROUTE OF FLT. REPORTER CITES ENTRY INTO A CLOUD THAT WAS NOT DISCERNABLE AS AREA OF SEVERE TURBULENCE. SEAT BELT SIGN WAS ON BUT NOT OBSERVED BY THE PERSONS SUSTAINING MINOR INJURIES. ACFT LIMIT SPEED EXCEEDED. ACFT LOST 1000' IN ALT.

Narrative: AT FL370, .801 MN CRUISE, SEVERE TURBULENCE WAS ENCOUNTERED SUDDENLY ALONG WITH ENTRANCE INTO IMC CONDITIONS. AIRSPEED INCREASED TO APPROX 10 KIAS OVER RED LINE. AUTOPLT AND AUTO THROTTLES WERE DISCONNECTED. POWER WAS REDUCED TO GET AIRSPEED BELOW RED LINE AND PITCH ATTITUDE WAS MAINTAINED. ACFT DESCENDED TO FL360. AFTER APPROX 20 SECONDS, CLOUD WAS EXITED AND TURBULENCE CEASED. ACFT WAS CLIMBED BACK TO FL370. HOUSTON CENTER WAS NOTIFIED. THE SEAT BELT SIGN WAS ON, BUT 4 PAX WERE NOT WEARING THEM, AND RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. 3 F/A'S RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. 1 PAX STANDING IN THE REAR OF THE ACFT WAS STRUCK IN THE BACK BY A SERVICE CART. THE OTHER 3 PAX HIT THE CEILING AND LANDED IN THE ROSW BEHIND THEIR ORIGINAL SEATS. THE 3 F/A'S WERE ALL IN THE REAR GALLEY AND ALSO HIT THE CEILING AND WALLS. THE WX RADAR WAS ON THE 120 NM RANGE AND TILTED DOWN 5 DEG, NO RETURNS WERE OBSERVED ALONG THE PROJECTED FLT PATH AT ANY TIME. LIGHTNING HAD BEEN OBSERVED IN THE DISTANCE BOTH TO THE N AND S OF TRACK. THE COMPANY WX FORECAST STATED 'CDFNT SRN ARK SW WIND THRU S/CENTRAL TEX. FEW TSTMS ALONG NE TEX AND LA GLF CST VALID 070000Z TO 072200Z DEC 89.' HOUSTON CENTER HAD NO RIDE REPORTS ALONG THE ROUTE OTHER THAN A JET WHO HAD A SMOOTH RIDE AT FL'S 410 AND 430. THE MOON HAD SET PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. 3 PAX WERE TREATED FOR MINOR INJURIES AND RELEASED AT A LOCAL HOSPITAL. THE FLT HAD DEPARTED LAX AT XA45Z AND LANDED MIA AT XB30Z.

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.