Narrative:

During an en route descent to bwi, approximately 45 mi from the airport, we were level at 15000 ft MSL. The first officer was in control of the aircraft, on an east course, on the arrival route to bwi. Both the first officer and myself, were continuously xchking the aircraft WX radar due to thunderstorms in the vicinity. A deviation turn to the southeast was requested and approved by ATC to avoid a large thunder cell, which was reflecting a strong return on the radar. While deviating and maintaining approximately 25 mi clear of the large cell to our left, the aircraft was flown into what we surmise was a rapidly building cumulus cloud, which was reflecting no return on our radar. The aircraft was in straight and level flight, with the autoplt engaged. Several moments after entering the buildup, and with little warning, we experienced a severe jolt from turbulence, causing a change in the aircraft's attitude and altitude. The first officer disconnected the autoplt, and reestablished proper attitude and altitude. Moments later we experienced some moderate rainfall. Further deviation was initiated to the right (south) and coordinated with ATC. Within a short time we exited the buildup and were able to resume our approach course toward the westminster VOR. Additionally, ATC was advised of the turbulence and flight conditions. The seat belt sign was on prior to, and throughout the entire episode, and an advisory passenger announcement had been made by the lead flight attendant to rechk individual seat belts fastened. 4 passenger, and 1 flight attendant sustained injuries as a result of not being strapped in their seats. The flight was handled expeditiously for an approach to runway 10 at bwi. After landing, and at the crew's request, paramedics met the flight at the gate. The 4 passenger and 1 flight attendant were taken to area hospitals to be evaluated for injuries. Maintenance personnel inspected the aircraft and returned it to revenue service for its originally scheduled flight back to msp. The station personnel at bwi and the flight attendants were outstanding in their assisting of the passenger. The first officer and so were of great assistance to me and were totally professional in the performance of their duties. I felt the whole crew exemplified the meaning of CRM, in that everyone worked smoothly as a team. I am proud to be associated with such a dedicated group of professionals.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT WX ENCOUNTER ON DSCNT INTO BWI PAX AND A CABIN ATTENDANT INJURED.

Narrative: DURING AN ENRTE DSCNT TO BWI, APPROX 45 MI FROM THE ARPT, WE WERE LEVEL AT 15000 FT MSL. THE FO WAS IN CTL OF THE ACFT, ON AN E COURSE, ON THE ARR RTE TO BWI. BOTH THE FO AND MYSELF, WERE CONTINUOUSLY XCHKING THE ACFT WX RADAR DUE TO TSTMS IN THE VICINITY. A DEV TURN TO THE SE WAS REQUESTED AND APPROVED BY ATC TO AVOID A LARGE THUNDER CELL, WHICH WAS REFLECTING A STRONG RETURN ON THE RADAR. WHILE DEVIATING AND MAINTAINING APPROX 25 MI CLR OF THE LARGE CELL TO OUR L, THE ACFT WAS FLOWN INTO WHAT WE SURMISE WAS A RAPIDLY BUILDING CUMULUS CLOUD, WHICH WAS REFLECTING NO RETURN ON OUR RADAR. THE ACFT WAS IN STRAIGHT AND LEVEL FLT, WITH THE AUTOPLT ENGAGED. SEVERAL MOMENTS AFTER ENTERING THE BUILDUP, AND WITH LITTLE WARNING, WE EXPERIENCED A SEVERE JOLT FROM TURB, CAUSING A CHANGE IN THE ACFT'S ATTITUDE AND ALT. THE FO DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT, AND REESTABLISHED PROPER ATTITUDE AND ALT. MOMENTS LATER WE EXPERIENCED SOME MODERATE RAINFALL. FURTHER DEV WAS INITIATED TO THE R (S) AND COORDINATED WITH ATC. WITHIN A SHORT TIME WE EXITED THE BUILDUP AND WERE ABLE TO RESUME OUR APCH COURSE TOWARD THE WESTMINSTER VOR. ADDITIONALLY, ATC WAS ADVISED OF THE TURB AND FLT CONDITIONS. THE SEAT BELT SIGN WAS ON PRIOR TO, AND THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE EPISODE, AND AN ADVISORY PAX ANNOUNCEMENT HAD BEEN MADE BY THE LEAD FLT ATTENDANT TO RECHK INDIVIDUAL SEAT BELTS FASTENED. 4 PAX, AND 1 FLT ATTENDANT SUSTAINED INJURIES AS A RESULT OF NOT BEING STRAPPED IN THEIR SEATS. THE FLT WAS HANDLED EXPEDITIOUSLY FOR AN APCH TO RWY 10 AT BWI. AFTER LNDG, AND AT THE CREW'S REQUEST, PARAMEDICS MET THE FLT AT THE GATE. THE 4 PAX AND 1 FLT ATTENDANT WERE TAKEN TO AREA HOSPITALS TO BE EVALUATED FOR INJURIES. MAINT PERSONNEL INSPECTED THE ACFT AND RETURNED IT TO REVENUE SVC FOR ITS ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED FLT BACK TO MSP. THE STATION PERSONNEL AT BWI AND THE FLT ATTENDANTS WERE OUTSTANDING IN THEIR ASSISTING OF THE PAX. THE FO AND SO WERE OF GREAT ASSISTANCE TO ME AND WERE TOTALLY PROFESSIONAL IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR DUTIES. I FELT THE WHOLE CREW EXEMPLIFIED THE MEANING OF CRM, IN THAT EVERYONE WORKED SMOOTHLY AS A TEAM. I AM PROUD TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH SUCH A DEDICATED GROUP OF PROFESSIONALS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.