1 passenger and some cabin attendants injured when B747 encounters moderate turbulence.

Attributes
ACN	347884
Time
Date	199609
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : kin
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : mkjk
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B747 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 140 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	347884
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 18500 flight time type : 590
ASRS Report	347166
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Just north of otamo we observed a small isolated return on the radar on the 40 mi scale. It was green and appeared to be a small rain shower. It did not show on the 80 mi scale. The antenna tilt was set at 1.25-1.50 down. The return was at 15-20 mi ahead with the intensity set at mid. It was a dark night with no moon, we could see stars but not clouds. We turned to the west to avoid the shower (30 degree bank) and changed to the 20 mi scale 3 units down. With this setting we observed some yellow in the center of the return. As we passed to the west of the return we experienced 10-15 seconds of moderate turbulence. We turned the seat belt sign on and made PA announcement to passenger. The flight attendants were in the middle of their service. They reported no damage in the front or middle of the airplane. Food trays and carts were thrown about in the aft portion of the airplane. 1 female passenger was injured and 2 others (1 asthma, 1 heart) reported distress. A doctor on board treated these people and reported no serious problems. Several flight attendants also reported minor injuries. All were able to continue with their duties.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 1 PAX AND SOME CABIN ATTENDANTS INJURED WHEN B747 ENCOUNTERS MODERATE TURB.

Narrative: JUST N OF OTAMO WE OBSERVED A SMALL ISOLATED RETURN ON THE RADAR ON THE 40 MI SCALE. IT WAS GREEN AND APPEARED TO BE A SMALL RAIN SHOWER. IT DID NOT SHOW ON THE 80 MI SCALE. THE ANTENNA TILT WAS SET AT 1.25-1.50 DOWN. THE RETURN WAS AT 15-20 MI AHEAD WITH THE INTENSITY SET AT MID. IT WAS A DARK NIGHT WITH NO MOON, WE COULD SEE STARS BUT NOT CLOUDS. WE TURNED TO THE W TO AVOID THE SHOWER (30 DEG BANK) AND CHANGED TO THE 20 MI SCALE 3 UNITS DOWN. WITH THIS SETTING WE OBSERVED SOME YELLOW IN THE CTR OF THE RETURN. AS WE PASSED TO THE W OF THE RETURN WE EXPERIENCED 10-15 SECONDS OF MODERATE TURB. WE TURNED THE SEAT BELT SIGN ON AND MADE PA ANNOUNCEMENT TO PAX. THE FLT ATTENDANTS WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THEIR SVC. THEY RPTED NO DAMAGE IN THE FRONT OR MIDDLE OF THE AIRPLANE. FOOD TRAYS AND CARTS WERE THROWN ABOUT IN THE AFT PORTION OF THE AIRPLANE. 1 FEMALE PAX WAS INJURED AND 2 OTHERS (1 ASTHMA, 1 HEART) RPTED DISTRESS. A DOCTOR ON BOARD TREATED THESE PEOPLE AND RPTED NO SERIOUS PROBS. SEVERAL FLT ATTENDANTS ALSO RPTED MINOR INJURIES. ALL WERE ABLE TO CONTINUE WITH THEIR DUTIES.

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.