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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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Flight crew of an medium large transport encountered severe turbulence while cruising at FL390 causing minor injuries to some passenger. The seat belt signs were on and appropriate announcements were made prior to encountering turbulence.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 352988 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199611 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : dfw |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 39000 msl bound upper : 39000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zfw |
| 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 |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 1000 |
| ASRS Report | 352988 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other other : unspecified |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted none taken : unable |
| Consequence | other other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Weather |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
A few passenger bumped their head on the ceiling due to severe turbulence, as we deviated south of a thunderstorm line in the dfw area. We were on top in the clear at the time and had a block altitude of FL390-370. When the turbulence became severe we descended to FL370 to increase our margin of safety. Although we forewarned passenger of possible turbulence and put the seat belt sign on, some did not heed the warning and were knocked around. The cabin crew worked well with us in putting passenger at ease. Report was made to ATC, dispatch and maintenance. Maintenance did a severe turbulence inspection and found no problems. Although we requested turbulence reports from ATC (which were light to moderate) and prepared ourselves as best as possible with deviation and altitude block options, all I can say is 'you just never know.' you can go around hundreds of thunderstorms, be in the clear and have a smooth ride, but don't let your guard down, tighten your seat belt and have options.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLC OF AN MLG ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURB WHILE CRUISING AT FL390 CAUSING MINOR INJURIES TO SOME PAX. THE SEAT BELT SIGNS WERE ON AND APPROPRIATE ANNOUNCEMENTS WERE MADE PRIOR TO ENCOUNTERING TURB.
Narrative: A FEW PAX BUMPED THEIR HEAD ON THE CEILING DUE TO SEVERE TURB, AS WE DEVIATED S OF A TSTM LINE IN THE DFW AREA. WE WERE ON TOP IN THE CLR AT THE TIME AND HAD A BLOCK ALT OF FL390-370. WHEN THE TURB BECAME SEVERE WE DSNDED TO FL370 TO INCREASE OUR MARGIN OF SAFETY. ALTHOUGH WE FOREWARNED PAX OF POSSIBLE TURB AND PUT THE SEAT BELT SIGN ON, SOME DID NOT HEED THE WARNING AND WERE KNOCKED AROUND. THE CABIN CREW WORKED WELL WITH US IN PUTTING PAX AT EASE. RPT WAS MADE TO ATC, DISPATCH AND MAINT. MAINT DID A SEVERE TURB INSPECTION AND FOUND NO PROBS. ALTHOUGH WE REQUESTED TURB RPTS FROM ATC (WHICH WERE LIGHT TO MODERATE) AND PREPARED OURSELVES AS BEST AS POSSIBLE WITH DEV AND ALT BLOCK OPTIONS, ALL I CAN SAY IS 'YOU JUST NEVER KNOW.' YOU CAN GO AROUND HUNDREDS OF TSTMS, BE IN THE CLR AND HAVE A SMOOTH RIDE, BUT DON'T LET YOUR GUARD DOWN, TIGHTEN YOUR SEAT BELT AND HAVE OPTIONS.
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.