In-flight encounter -- severe turbulence passenger injuries.

Attributes
ACN	309522
Time
Date	199507
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rzc
State Reference	AK
Altitude	msl bound lower : 39000 msl bound upper : 39000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 1700
ASRS Report	309522
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 96 flight time total : 18270 flight time type : 1869
ASRS Report	310147
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

En route from atl to sfo, cleared to deviate north of rzc, direct gck when able. Deviated approximately 30-40 NM north of well developed cell at rzc. Sanitized area with WX radar for other possible convective phenomenon. Encountered severe turbulence (5-8 seconds) approximately rzc 330 degree radial 40 DME, marginal VFR conditions (had just entered skuddy area) and hail. Followed flight path other aircraft had followed before and after with only light chop reported. Seat belt sign on -- only 3 passenger without seat belt were slightly injured. No loss of control or aircraft damage -- yet anything that was not strapped or bolted down hit the ceiling. This passage was completely routine and conservatively executed. We did everything that over 50 yrs of combined experience told us was necessary to insure safe passage and yet still encountered severe turbulence. Perhaps an FAA mandated program of passenger awareness (through boarding PA's) that emphasizes the unpredictability of turbulence and the wisdom of keeping your seat belt lightly fastened at all times you are seated, could be in order.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INFLT ENCOUNTER -- SEVERE TURB PAX INJURIES.

Narrative: ENRTE FROM ATL TO SFO, CLRED TO DEVIATE N OF RZC, DIRECT GCK WHEN ABLE. DEVIATED APPROX 30-40 NM N OF WELL DEVELOPED CELL AT RZC. SANITIZED AREA WITH WX RADAR FOR OTHER POSSIBLE CONVECTIVE PHENOMENON. ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURB (5-8 SECONDS) APPROX RZC 330 DEG RADIAL 40 DME, MARGINAL VFR CONDITIONS (HAD JUST ENTERED SKUDDY AREA) AND HAIL. FOLLOWED FLT PATH OTHER ACFT HAD FOLLOWED BEFORE AND AFTER WITH ONLY LIGHT CHOP RPTED. SEAT BELT SIGN ON -- ONLY 3 PAX WITHOUT SEAT BELT WERE SLIGHTLY INJURED. NO LOSS OF CTL OR ACFT DAMAGE -- YET ANYTHING THAT WAS NOT STRAPPED OR BOLTED DOWN HIT THE CEILING. THIS PASSAGE WAS COMPLETELY ROUTINE AND CONSERVATIVELY EXECUTED. WE DID EVERYTHING THAT OVER 50 YRS OF COMBINED EXPERIENCE TOLD US WAS NECESSARY TO INSURE SAFE PASSAGE AND YET STILL ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURB. PERHAPS AN FAA MANDATED PROGRAM OF PAX AWARENESS (THROUGH BOARDING PA'S) THAT EMPHASIZES THE UNPREDICTABILITY OF TURB AND THE WISDOM OF KEEPING YOUR SEAT BELT LIGHTLY FASTENED AT ALL TIMES YOU ARE SEATED, COULD BE IN ORDER.

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.