1 flight attendant and 2 passenger were injured due to severe turbulence during high altitude cruise...

Attributes
ACN	367721
Time
Date	199705
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lit
State Reference	AR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 35000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	other other : other pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 13800 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	367721
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 16200 flight time type : 11000
ASRS Report	367729
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

1 flight attendant and 2 passenger were slightly injured in an encounter with severe turbulence, deviating around a line of thunderstorms and well clear of the WX with no cells within 20 mi. In anticipation of possible bumpy ride a PA was made to make sure passenger were in seats and seat belt sign was on. The entire flight from pit-sat had experienced light to occasional moderate chop, so when the flight attendants were briefed on possible turbulence I believe they thought it would be more of the same ride conditions we had already experienced. This is also what the flight crew also believed since we were well clear of the WX. The severe turbulence only lasted for 3-5 seconds but was long enough to throw our 'B' flight attendant in the aft galley to the floor. 2 passenger also complained of injuries. Since the injuries were not serious we continued on to our destination where the flight attendant and passenger were taken to a local hospital, treated and released. Supplemental information from acn 367729: approached another smaller line to north and were 40+ mi from cells on either side with an end to the northern line ahead and a very open area ahead into which we planned to turn right (northwest) and move out of the entire area of cells. We received constant WX updates from dispatch and they recommended and agreed with our planned course of action. We requested ride reports from ATC (center) and were told aircraft at FL330 and FL370 had come through eastbound with pretty good rides. We entered the open area, 40+ mi from the nearest and smallest cell. Suddenly hit turbulence approaching severe intensity. Minimal gain/loss of altitude +/-150 ft. Physician passenger attended injured crew. Dispatch arranged medical assistance at sat. 2 passenger (1 not wearing seat belt) treated and taken to hospital. Flight attendant treated and went to hospital on own.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 1 FLT ATTENDANT AND 2 PAX WERE INJURED DUE TO SEVERE TURB DURING HIGH ALT CRUISE. THE FLT WAS APPROX 40 MI FROM ANY TSTM CELLS. FLC HAD GIVEN A PA ANNOUNCEMENT AND FASTEN SEAT BELT SIGN ON FOR EXPECTED TURB.

Narrative: 1 FLT ATTENDANT AND 2 PAX WERE SLIGHTLY INJURED IN AN ENCOUNTER WITH SEVERE TURB, DEVIATING AROUND A LINE OF TSTMS AND WELL CLR OF THE WX WITH NO CELLS WITHIN 20 MI. IN ANTICIPATION OF POSSIBLE BUMPY RIDE A PA WAS MADE TO MAKE SURE PAX WERE IN SEATS AND SEAT BELT SIGN WAS ON. THE ENTIRE FLT FROM PIT-SAT HAD EXPERIENCED LIGHT TO OCCASIONAL MODERATE CHOP, SO WHEN THE FLT ATTENDANTS WERE BRIEFED ON POSSIBLE TURB I BELIEVE THEY THOUGHT IT WOULD BE MORE OF THE SAME RIDE CONDITIONS WE HAD ALREADY EXPERIENCED. THIS IS ALSO WHAT THE FLC ALSO BELIEVED SINCE WE WERE WELL CLR OF THE WX. THE SEVERE TURB ONLY LASTED FOR 3-5 SECONDS BUT WAS LONG ENOUGH TO THROW OUR 'B' FLT ATTENDANT IN THE AFT GALLEY TO THE FLOOR. 2 PAX ALSO COMPLAINED OF INJURIES. SINCE THE INJURIES WERE NOT SERIOUS WE CONTINUED ON TO OUR DEST WHERE THE FLT ATTENDANT AND PAX WERE TAKEN TO A LCL HOSPITAL, TREATED AND RELEASED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 367729: APCHED ANOTHER SMALLER LINE TO N AND WERE 40+ MI FROM CELLS ON EITHER SIDE WITH AN END TO THE NORTHERN LINE AHEAD AND A VERY OPEN AREA AHEAD INTO WHICH WE PLANNED TO TURN R (NW) AND MOVE OUT OF THE ENTIRE AREA OF CELLS. WE RECEIVED CONSTANT WX UPDATES FROM DISPATCH AND THEY RECOMMENDED AND AGREED WITH OUR PLANNED COURSE OF ACTION. WE REQUESTED RIDE RPTS FROM ATC (CTR) AND WERE TOLD ACFT AT FL330 AND FL370 HAD COME THROUGH EBOUND WITH PRETTY GOOD RIDES. WE ENTERED THE OPEN AREA, 40+ MI FROM THE NEAREST AND SMALLEST CELL. SUDDENLY HIT TURB APCHING SEVERE INTENSITY. MINIMAL GAIN/LOSS OF ALT +/-150 FT. PHYSICIAN PAX ATTENDED INJURED CREW. DISPATCH ARRANGED MEDICAL ASSISTANCE AT SAT. 2 PAX (1 NOT WEARING SEAT BELT) TREATED AND TAKEN TO HOSPITAL. FLT ATTENDANT TREATED AND WENT TO HOSPITAL ON OWN.

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.

1 flight attendant and 2 passenger were injured due to severe turbulence during high altitude cruise. The flight was approximately 40 mi from any thunderstorm cells. Flight crew had given a PA announcement and fasten seat belt sign on for expected turbulence.