At cruise onboard MD11, sudden turbulence caused cabin attendant injuries.

Attributes
ACN	408940
Time
Date	199807
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zan
State Reference	AK
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zan
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-11
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 attendant : on duty
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	408940
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

There was sudden turbulence without warning. The seat belt sign was on, but the cockpit crew had no indication on radar of moderate to severe turbulence. I was thrown midair, with my left hand grabbing the handle on the wall and right hand trying to hold the beverage cart which was also lifted about 6- 10 inches off the floor. I suffered a minor bruise on my left hand but 1 flight attendant suffered more serious injury. It was so sudden that I had no time to put away the cart. If it were to happen again, it would be very difficult to act any differently. The only thing I could do from now on is to make sure unused carts to be locked away, inserts to be placed in the modules, and close and lock all galley cabinets whenever we don't use them. May I also suggest that the fasten seat belt sign be illuminated throughout the flight. We can make sure that passenger wear seat belt whenever they are in the seats, to prevent any injuries in case of clear air turbulence. Thank you very much for your attention.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AT CRUISE ONBOARD MD11, SUDDEN TURB CAUSED CABIN ATTENDANT INJURIES.

Narrative: THERE WAS SUDDEN TURB WITHOUT WARNING. THE SEAT BELT SIGN WAS ON, BUT THE COCKPIT CREW HAD NO INDICATION ON RADAR OF MODERATE TO SEVERE TURB. I WAS THROWN MIDAIR, WITH MY L HAND GRABBING THE HANDLE ON THE WALL AND R HAND TRYING TO HOLD THE BEVERAGE CART WHICH WAS ALSO LIFTED ABOUT 6- 10 INCHES OFF THE FLOOR. I SUFFERED A MINOR BRUISE ON MY L HAND BUT 1 FLT ATTENDANT SUFFERED MORE SERIOUS INJURY. IT WAS SO SUDDEN THAT I HAD NO TIME TO PUT AWAY THE CART. IF IT WERE TO HAPPEN AGAIN, IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO ACT ANY DIFFERENTLY. THE ONLY THING I COULD DO FROM NOW ON IS TO MAKE SURE UNUSED CARTS TO BE LOCKED AWAY, INSERTS TO BE PLACED IN THE MODULES, AND CLOSE AND LOCK ALL GALLEY CABINETS WHENEVER WE DON'T USE THEM. MAY I ALSO SUGGEST THAT THE FASTEN SEAT BELT SIGN BE ILLUMINATED THROUGHOUT THE FLT. WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT PAX WEAR SEAT BELT WHENEVER THEY ARE IN THE SEATS, TO PREVENT ANY INJURIES IN CASE OF CLR AIR TURB. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ATTN.

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.