Narrative:

Air carrier X WX deviation, north of airway, level at FL310, in clouds, avoiding cells on WX radar. Light chop at time and passing by last cell on radar off to right side of aircraft. We received 2 quick jolts of moderate turbulence and almost immediately broke out into clear, smooth air. The seat belt sign was on at the time. Very little altitude deviation was caused by the turbulence, possibly 150 ft. The first officer was flying the aircraft at the time. Passenger and flight attendants were injured (primarily because they were not seated with their seat belts fastened). Up to the time of the turbulence, we were in continuous light chop, with no warning of the 2 quick jolts of turbulence that we encountered. We requested return to mia, and advised ZMA of the turbulence and injuries on board. An over weight was made at mia (approximately 12000 pounds above maximum of 310000 pounds on the widebody transport. Supplemental information from acn 230701: air carrier X checked on my frequency climbing to FL230 requesting FL310. I climbed him to FL310. Approximately 45 mi north of mia on J86 (out of FL280 for FL310) he requested a 270 degree heading for WX. I called the adjoining sector to get the 270 degree heading approved (sector 25). They disapprove the west deviation. I advised air carrier X that the next sector was unable. I advised him where other aircraft had deviated around the WX and got smooth rides. Since he was starting to enter the WX on my radar pvd I told him he could turn from his 270 degree heading to 040 degree heading to go around the east side of WX. He wanted to go south away from WX and come around the east side, he could make a left 360 degree turn and roll out on 340 degree heading to stay clear. He said he would like a 360 degree heading. I issued a 010 degree heading to keep him clear of adjoining sector. For about 5 mi and then cleared air carrier X to deviate between a 320 degree heading and 020 degree heading. As he got to the north edge of the WX I asked him how his ride was. He said a little bit of chop, but basically a good ride. The adjoining sector now had the handoff and was ready to accept the aircraft into their airspace. The aircraft was abeam lbv VORTAC and said he got a few good bumps associated with the cell. I shipped the aircraft to the adjoining sector. To prevent this occurrence: 1) traffic permitting, if the adjoining sector could have accepted aircraft on a 270 degree heading, he would have stayed south of the WX. 2) if the pilot would have gone east around the WX like I had suggested on a 040 degree heading or 360 degree left turn, where smooth rides were reported, the accident/incident may have been avoided. Supplemental information from acn 231173: I was working R25 with a tracker and d-side. We were extremely busy with WX and east coast being shut off. D-side received a call wanting to go to a 270 degree heading at FL230. We said unable due to traffic. 5-10 mins later, after we had handoff, came on frequency level at FL310 and stated 'we need to return to mia, we have injuries on board.' I gave him a right turn to 180 degree heading and when south of WX direct the airport.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X INFLT ENCOUNTER WX TSTM TURB HAD FLT ATTENDANT PAX INJURY.

Narrative: ACR X WX DEV, N OF AIRWAY, LEVEL AT FL310, IN CLOUDS, AVOIDING CELLS ON WX RADAR. LIGHT CHOP AT TIME AND PASSING BY LAST CELL ON RADAR OFF TO R SIDE OF ACFT. WE RECEIVED 2 QUICK JOLTS OF MODERATE TURB AND ALMOST IMMEDIATELY BROKE OUT INTO CLR, SMOOTH AIR. THE SEAT BELT SIGN WAS ON AT THE TIME. VERY LITTLE ALTDEV WAS CAUSED BY THE TURB, POSSIBLY 150 FT. THE FO WAS FLYING THE ACFT AT THE TIME. PAX AND FLT ATTENDANTS WERE INJURED (PRIMARILY BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT SEATED WITH THEIR SEAT BELTS FASTENED). UP TO THE TIME OF THE TURB, WE WERE IN CONTINUOUS LIGHT CHOP, WITH NO WARNING OF THE 2 QUICK JOLTS OF TURB THAT WE ENCOUNTERED. WE REQUESTED RETURN TO MIA, AND ADVISED ZMA OF THE TURB AND INJURIES ON BOARD. AN OVER WT WAS MADE AT MIA (APPROX 12000 LBS ABOVE MAX OF 310000 LBS ON THE WDB. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 230701: ACR X CHKED ON MY FREQ CLBING TO FL230 REQUESTING FL310. I CLBED HIM TO FL310. APPROX 45 MI N OF MIA ON J86 (OUT OF FL280 FOR FL310) HE REQUESTED A 270 DEG HDG FOR WX. I CALLED THE ADJOINING SECTOR TO GET THE 270 DEG HDG APPROVED (SECTOR 25). THEY DISAPPROVE THE W DEV. I ADVISED ACR X THAT THE NEXT SECTOR WAS UNABLE. I ADVISED HIM WHERE OTHER ACFT HAD DEVIATED AROUND THE WX AND GOT SMOOTH RIDES. SINCE HE WAS STARTING TO ENTER THE WX ON MY RADAR PVD I TOLD HIM HE COULD TURN FROM HIS 270 DEG HDG TO 040 DEG HDG TO GAR THE E SIDE OF WX. HE WANTED TO GO S AWAY FROM WX AND COME AROUND THE E SIDE, HE COULD MAKE A L 360 DEG TURN AND ROLL OUT ON 340 DEG HDG TO STAY CLR. HE SAID HE WOULD LIKE A 360 DEG HDG. I ISSUED A 010 DEG HDG TO KEEP HIM CLR OF ADJOINING SECTOR. FOR ABOUT 5 MI AND THEN CLRED ACR X TO DEVIATE BTWN A 320 DEG HDG AND 020 DEG HDG. AS HE GOT TO THE N EDGE OF THE WX I ASKED HIM HOW HIS RIDE WAS. HE SAID A LITTLE BIT OF CHOP, BUT BASICALLY A GOOD RIDE. THE ADJOINING SECTOR NOW HAD THE HDOF AND WAS READY TO ACCEPT THE ACFT INTO THEIR AIRSPACE. THE ACFT WAS ABEAM LBV VORTAC AND SAID HE GOT A FEW GOOD BUMPS ASSOCIATED WITH THE CELL. I SHIPPED THE ACFT TO THE ADJOINING SECTOR. TO PREVENT THIS OCCURRENCE: 1) TFC PERMITTING, IF THE ADJOINING SECTOR COULD HAVE ACCEPTED ACFT ON A 270 DEG HDG, HE WOULD HAVE STAYED S OF THE WX. 2) IF THE PLT WOULD HAVE GONE E AROUND THE WX LIKE I HAD SUGGESTED ON A 040 DEG HDG OR 360 DEG L TURN, WHERE SMOOTH RIDES WERE RPTED, THE ACCIDENT/INCIDENT MAY HAVE BEEN AVOIDED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 231173: I WAS WORKING R25 WITH A TRACKER AND D-SIDE. WE WERE EXTREMELY BUSY WITH WX AND E COAST BEING SHUT OFF. D-SIDE RECEIVED A CALL WANTING TO GO TO A 270 DEG HDG AT FL230. WE SAID UNABLE DUE TO TFC. 5-10 MINS LATER, AFTER WE HAD HDOF, CAME ON FREQ LEVEL AT FL310 AND STATED 'WE NEED TO RETURN TO MIA, WE HAVE INJURIES ON BOARD.' I GAVE HIM A R TURN TO 180 DEG HDG AND WHEN S OF WX DIRECT THE ARPT.

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.