Narrative:

On a scheduled flight from lax to ewr, we were cruising in the clear at FL290 approaching denver. Reports of poor rides at FL330 and FL370 had been reported by ZDV, but our ride at FL290 was smooth. Just as we approached the beginning of the front range, we started to receive some light chop, and within a matter of perhaps 30 seconds, we went from light chop, some moderate chop/turbulence and 2 jolts of severe turbulence which tossed about dishes and flight attendants in the cabin. With the first indication of turbulence we turned on the seat belt sign and the first officer made a PA for everyone to be seated. After the jolts of turbulence we experienced some mountain wave effect for about 3 mins, then as we flew into the plains east of denver, we again had a good ride with just occasional light chop. The turbulence came unexpectedly and lasted only a few seconds, but caused problems in the cabin and a mess of dishes, glasses and spilled food. There were no serious injuries nor damage, but we were again made aware of the hazards of clear air turbulence. Supplemental information from acn 241318: no report of turbulence at FL290. WX was VFR, no rotor clouds observed. 2 flight attendants had sprained their ankles. Supplemental information from acn 240440: we were told of aircraft reporting a bad ride at FL330 and FL370 with no other indications of seriousness or reports at lower altitudes. That was followed by 1 or 2 severe bumps, enough to toss galley gear around and flight attendants into the air/ceiling. Later, a non revenue told us he was in the lavatory at the time and got splashed with blue water. He told us another passenger was in a lavatory and that both quickly exited and sat in flight attendant jump seats. Later, a couple more flight attendants felt should report some bumps and bruises and one got some broken glass in a foot.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB ENCOUNTERS SEVERE TURB CAUSING PERSONAL INJURY TO CABIN ATTENDANTS.

Narrative: ON A SCHEDULED FLT FROM LAX TO EWR, WE WERE CRUISING IN THE CLR AT FL290 APCHING DENVER. RPTS OF POOR RIDES AT FL330 AND FL370 HAD BEEN RPTED BY ZDV, BUT OUR RIDE AT FL290 WAS SMOOTH. JUST AS WE APCHED THE BEGINNING OF THE FRONT RANGE, WE STARTED TO RECEIVE SOME LIGHT CHOP, AND WITHIN A MATTER OF PERHAPS 30 SECONDS, WE WENT FROM LIGHT CHOP, SOME MODERATE CHOP/TURB AND 2 JOLTS OF SEVERE TURB WHICH TOSSED ABOUT DISHES AND FLT ATTENDANTS IN THE CABIN. WITH THE FIRST INDICATION OF TURB WE TURNED ON THE SEAT BELT SIGN AND THE FO MADE A PA FOR EVERYONE TO BE SEATED. AFTER THE JOLTS OF TURB WE EXPERIENCED SOME MOUNTAIN WAVE EFFECT FOR ABOUT 3 MINS, THEN AS WE FLEW INTO THE PLAINS E OF DENVER, WE AGAIN HAD A GOOD RIDE WITH JUST OCCASIONAL LIGHT CHOP. THE TURB CAME UNEXPECTEDLY AND LASTED ONLY A FEW SECONDS, BUT CAUSED PROBS IN THE CABIN AND A MESS OF DISHES, GLASSES AND SPILLED FOOD. THERE WERE NO SERIOUS INJURIES NOR DAMAGE, BUT WE WERE AGAIN MADE AWARE OF THE HAZARDS OF CLR AIR TURB. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FROM ACN 241318: NO RPT OF TURB AT FL290. WX WAS VFR, NO ROTOR CLOUDS OBSERVED. 2 FLT ATTENDANTS HAD SPRAINED THEIR ANKLES. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FROM ACN 240440: WE WERE TOLD OF ACFT RPTING A BAD RIDE AT FL330 AND FL370 WITH NO OTHER INDICATIONS OF SERIOUSNESS OR RPTS AT LOWER ALTS. THAT WAS FOLLOWED BY 1 OR 2 SEVERE BUMPS, ENOUGH TO TOSS GALLEY GEAR AROUND AND FLT ATTENDANTS INTO THE AIR/CEILING. LATER, A NON REVENUE TOLD US HE WAS IN THE LAVATORY AT THE TIME AND GOT SPLASHED WITH BLUE WATER. HE TOLD US ANOTHER PAX WAS IN A LAVATORY AND THAT BOTH QUICKLY EXITED AND SAT IN FLT ATTENDANT JUMP SEATS. LATER, A COUPLE MORE FLT ATTENDANTS FELT SHOULD RPT SOME BUMPS AND BRUISES AND ONE GOT SOME BROKEN GLASS IN A FOOT.

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.