In-flight encounter with unexpected moderate turbulence injures cabin attendant in aft part of aircr...

Attributes
ACN	251776
Time
Date	199309
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 13000 msl bound upper : 21000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : atl tracon : atl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	251776
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 925 flight time total : 18080 flight time type : 225
ASRS Report	251780
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Takeoff runway 27R atl. Initial climb out normal. Passed through 2 thin cloud layers while west and sbound and broke in clear at 10000 ft turning to 090 degree vector by departure. Given climb clearance to 14000 ft. Turned off seat belt sign (approximately 11000 ft). First officer started passenger PA. Visually saw cloud layer with nothing showing on radar. (Radar was on from start of takeoff roll.) isolated small cumulo nimbus's were visible on radar to nne and south in distance (20 mi or greater). At 13000 ft encountered moderate turbulence. Immediately turned on seat belt sign and first officer continued PA and warned of turbulence. Turbulence lasted 30-45 seconds, broke in clear at approximately 14500-15500 ft and 8-10 mi ese atl airport. Flight attendant in rear of aircraft suffered broken lower left leg. Climbed to 21000 ft and direct to cae as instructed by ZTL. Deviated slightly south of course in vicinity of augusta. Landed cae. Emergency medical teams met flight and took injured flight attendant to hospital.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INFLT ENCOUNTER WITH UNEXPECTED MODERATE TURB INJURES CABIN ATTENDANT IN AFT PART OF ACFT.

Narrative: TKOF RWY 27R ATL. INITIAL CLBOUT NORMAL. PASSED THROUGH 2 THIN CLOUD LAYERS WHILE W AND SBOUND AND BROKE IN CLR AT 10000 FT TURNING TO 090 DEG VECTOR BY DEP. GIVEN CLB CLRNC TO 14000 FT. TURNED OFF SEAT BELT SIGN (APPROX 11000 FT). FO STARTED PAX PA. VISUALLY SAW CLOUD LAYER WITH NOTHING SHOWING ON RADAR. (RADAR WAS ON FROM START OF TKOF ROLL.) ISOLATED SMALL CUMULO NIMBUS'S WERE VISIBLE ON RADAR TO NNE AND S IN DISTANCE (20 MI OR GREATER). AT 13000 FT ENCOUNTERED MODERATE TURB. IMMEDIATELY TURNED ON SEAT BELT SIGN AND FO CONTINUED PA AND WARNED OF TURB. TURB LASTED 30-45 SECONDS, BROKE IN CLR AT APPROX 14500-15500 FT AND 8-10 MI ESE ATL ARPT. FLT ATTENDANT IN REAR OF ACFT SUFFERED BROKEN LOWER L LEG. CLBED TO 21000 FT AND DIRECT TO CAE AS INSTRUCTED BY ZTL. DEVIATED SLIGHTLY S OF COURSE IN VICINITY OF AUGUSTA. LANDED CAE. EMER MEDICAL TEAMS MET FLT AND TOOK INJURED FLT ATTENDANT TO HOSPITAL.

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.

In-flight encounter with unexpected moderate turbulence injures cabin attendant in aft part of aircraft.