Narrative:

Approximately 20 mins after takeoff we received message from dispatch that there was report of turbulence over mountains. At the same time we got a similar report from ATC. Captain turned on seat belt sign and told flight attendant to situation down after stowing carts. About 1 min later the aircraft started to nibble and I slowed the aircraft. 30 seconds later the bottom fell out. The aircraft pitched up and down +/- 300 ft and airspeed jumped to the barber pole. This lasted for 10 seconds before the airspeed began to reduce. After airspeed was under control I increased the power to maintain altitude. We were too slow to maintain altitude and lost 1000 ft. At this time the aircraft was under control and we informed ATC. The event lasted about 3 mins. We checked on passenger and flight attendant and were pleased to find few injuries. I feel the quick action of captain in turning on the seat belt sign is the primary reason there were no serious injuries. I would like to thank captain for the confidence he had in my abilities and our crew coordination proved to be successful. Maintenance inspected the aircraft and no damage was found. EMS met the aircraft and the only injuries noted were 2 complaints of neck and back injuries.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURB AT CRUISE. FLC WAS WARNED BY COMPANY DISPATCH AND ATC OF TURB OVER THE MOUNTAINS. SEAT BELT SIGN WAS TURNED ON AND FLT ATTENDANTS SEATED, BUT STILL THERE WERE SOME INJURIES. EMER MEDICAL PERSONNEL MET THE FLT. ACFT NOT DAMAGED.

Narrative: APPROX 20 MINS AFTER TKOF WE RECEIVED MESSAGE FROM DISPATCH THAT THERE WAS RPT OF TURB OVER MOUNTAINS. AT THE SAME TIME WE GOT A SIMILAR RPT FROM ATC. CAPT TURNED ON SEAT BELT SIGN AND TOLD FLT ATTENDANT TO SIT DOWN AFTER STOWING CARTS. ABOUT 1 MIN LATER THE ACFT STARTED TO NIBBLE AND I SLOWED THE ACFT. 30 SECONDS LATER THE BOTTOM FELL OUT. THE ACFT PITCHED UP AND DOWN +/- 300 FT AND AIRSPD JUMPED TO THE BARBER POLE. THIS LASTED FOR 10 SECONDS BEFORE THE AIRSPD BEGAN TO REDUCE. AFTER AIRSPD WAS UNDER CTL I INCREASED THE PWR TO MAINTAIN ALT. WE WERE TOO SLOW TO MAINTAIN ALT AND LOST 1000 FT. AT THIS TIME THE ACFT WAS UNDER CTL AND WE INFORMED ATC. THE EVENT LASTED ABOUT 3 MINS. WE CHKED ON PAX AND FLT ATTENDANT AND WERE PLEASED TO FIND FEW INJURIES. I FEEL THE QUICK ACTION OF CAPT IN TURNING ON THE SEAT BELT SIGN IS THE PRIMARY REASON THERE WERE NO SERIOUS INJURIES. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK CAPT FOR THE CONFIDENCE HE HAD IN MY ABILITIES AND OUR CREW COORD PROVED TO BE SUCCESSFUL. MAINT INSPECTED THE ACFT AND NO DAMAGE WAS FOUND. EMS MET THE ACFT AND THE ONLY INJURIES NOTED WERE 2 COMPLAINTS OF NECK AND BACK INJURIES.

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.