WX encounter, navigation deviation approach radar turned on. Passenger injuries caused by severe turbulence during high altitude cruise in a medium large transport.

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Attributes
ACN	333142
Time
Date	199604
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : nau
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 35000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : mmid
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : mmid
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	other other : other pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	333142
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Approximately 20 NM west of mundo (mia-mex) encountered occasional light turbulence and seat belt sign was turned on and an announcement made. Slight haze layer was encountered at this time. ATC was contacted for ride reports at FL350 but was put on stand-by. An (air carrier Y) flight behind us was contacted who had descended from FL350 to FL310 because of continuous chop at FL350. About 20 NM west of mundo the turbulence increased from light to moderate to severe. We encountered some rain and probably some hail, some lightning was present in the area but no strikes were noticed. The radar was turned on immediately prior to the turbulence and a steep gradient oval cell was right in front of us almost dead center! The autoplt kicked off and the aircraft was hand flown by myself and a left turn started to break out on the left side. An attempt to contact ATC was made to no avail. An altitude loss of approximately 500 ft was noticed. The duration of this was only 15-25 seconds. PIREP issued, dispatch notified and ATC notified. We were advised 3 passenger were injured -- 2 had released their seat belts and 1 had it on loose. All 3 examined upon landing and released, walked off the airplane. No flight crew were injured and an uneventful approach to landing was made at mexico city.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WX ENCOUNTER, NAV DEV APCH RADAR TURNED ON. PAX INJURIES CAUSED BY SEVERE TURB DURING HIGH ALT CRUISE IN A MLG.

Narrative: APPROX 20 NM W OF MUNDO (MIA-MEX) ENCOUNTERED OCCASIONAL LIGHT TURB AND SEAT BELT SIGN WAS TURNED ON AND AN ANNOUNCEMENT MADE. SLIGHT HAZE LAYER WAS ENCOUNTERED AT THIS TIME. ATC WAS CONTACTED FOR RIDE RPTS AT FL350 BUT WAS PUT ON STAND-BY. AN (ACR Y) FLT BEHIND US WAS CONTACTED WHO HAD DSNDED FROM FL350 TO FL310 BECAUSE OF CONTINUOUS CHOP AT FL350. ABOUT 20 NM W OF MUNDO THE TURB INCREASED FROM LIGHT TO MODERATE TO SEVERE. WE ENCOUNTERED SOME RAIN AND PROBABLY SOME HAIL, SOME LIGHTNING WAS PRESENT IN THE AREA BUT NO STRIKES WERE NOTICED. THE RADAR WAS TURNED ON IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO THE TURB AND A STEEP GRADIENT OVAL CELL WAS RIGHT IN FRONT OF US ALMOST DEAD CTR! THE AUTOPLT KICKED OFF AND THE ACFT WAS HAND FLOWN BY MYSELF AND A L TURN STARTED TO BREAK OUT ON THE L SIDE. AN ATTEMPT TO CONTACT ATC WAS MADE TO NO AVAIL. AN ALT LOSS OF APPROX 500 FT WAS NOTICED. THE DURATION OF THIS WAS ONLY 15-25 SECONDS. PIREP ISSUED, DISPATCH NOTIFIED AND ATC NOTIFIED. WE WERE ADVISED 3 PAX WERE INJURED -- 2 HAD RELEASED THEIR SEAT BELTS AND 1 HAD IT ON LOOSE. ALL 3 EXAMINED UPON LNDG AND RELEASED, WALKED OFF THE AIRPLANE. NO FLT CREW WERE INJURED AND AN UNEVENTFUL APCH TO LNDG WAS MADE AT MEXICO CITY.

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.