Narrative:

We were in high cirrus clouds at FL350 by scotts bluff (bff) at xx:30, aug/xx/94. The radar was selected on showing the 160 mi range. At the time the captain was busy typing our messages and responses to crew scheduling concerning changes in our trip pattern. I was PF, thus the ACARS radar screen was in the ACARS mode, with the radar on. Consequently, we both had our radar remote overlay displayed on our asi's on full bright. The HSI brightness knobs however, were dim as we departed dtw at night, the overhead light was on. Thus, neither of us were able to 'see' the cell 20-25 mi ahead of us on our HSI's. The wind was 62 KTS on the nose and we found ourselves in the blowoff from the cell. We were in moderate plus turbulence before we could deviate. The closest we came to the cell was 10 mi. The seat belt sign was on and all the passenger buckled in, but 2-4 flight attendants all in the rear, received minor injuries. I think it is imperative to have not only the remote radar knob on full bright, but the HSI full bright as well -- when typing messages on the ACARS. That is to say that the brightness of the remote overlay radar on the HSI is also controled by the HSI brightness knob. This would prevent the dim cell portrayed on the HSI, from blending into the HSI black background. My error was not having the HSI on full bright when the overhead lights were on. That way I would have seen the cell return. However, neither of us had previously known that overlay would not be visible.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ENCOUNTER WITH HIGH LEVEL TURB.

Narrative: WE WERE IN HIGH CIRRUS CLOUDS AT FL350 BY SCOTTS BLUFF (BFF) AT XX:30, AUG/XX/94. THE RADAR WAS SELECTED ON SHOWING THE 160 MI RANGE. AT THE TIME THE CAPT WAS BUSY TYPING OUR MESSAGES AND RESPONSES TO CREW SCHEDULING CONCERNING CHANGES IN OUR TRIP PATTERN. I WAS PF, THUS THE ACARS RADAR SCREEN WAS IN THE ACARS MODE, WITH THE RADAR ON. CONSEQUENTLY, WE BOTH HAD OUR RADAR REMOTE OVERLAY DISPLAYED ON OUR ASI'S ON FULL BRIGHT. THE HSI BRIGHTNESS KNOBS HOWEVER, WERE DIM AS WE DEPARTED DTW AT NIGHT, THE OVERHEAD LIGHT WAS ON. THUS, NEITHER OF US WERE ABLE TO 'SEE' THE CELL 20-25 MI AHEAD OF US ON OUR HSI'S. THE WIND WAS 62 KTS ON THE NOSE AND WE FOUND OURSELVES IN THE BLOWOFF FROM THE CELL. WE WERE IN MODERATE PLUS TURB BEFORE WE COULD DEVIATE. THE CLOSEST WE CAME TO THE CELL WAS 10 MI. THE SEAT BELT SIGN WAS ON AND ALL THE PAX BUCKLED IN, BUT 2-4 FLT ATTENDANTS ALL IN THE REAR, RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. I THINK IT IS IMPERATIVE TO HAVE NOT ONLY THE REMOTE RADAR KNOB ON FULL BRIGHT, BUT THE HSI FULL BRIGHT AS WELL -- WHEN TYPING MESSAGES ON THE ACARS. THAT IS TO SAY THAT THE BRIGHTNESS OF THE REMOTE OVERLAY RADAR ON THE HSI IS ALSO CTLED BY THE HSI BRIGHTNESS KNOB. THIS WOULD PREVENT THE DIM CELL PORTRAYED ON THE HSI, FROM BLENDING INTO THE HSI BLACK BACKGROUND. MY ERROR WAS NOT HAVING THE HSI ON FULL BRIGHT WHEN THE OVERHEAD LIGHTS WERE ON. THAT WAY I WOULD HAVE SEEN THE CELL RETURN. HOWEVER, NEITHER OF US HAD PREVIOUSLY KNOWN THAT OVERLAY WOULD NOT BE VISIBLE.

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.