Narrative:

Approaching iah, there was a large storm system from sat to north and east of iah. The captain had gone to the cabin and told the flight attendants to secure service all, and all to fasten belts. A few mins later, he asked me to do the same thing. It was a chain of command. The captain did not want to make a PA announcement. The flight attendants were new and there was a supervisor aboard who wasn't part of the crew. She had gotten the word, but had told the flight attendants in the back to continue service until captain made a PA. (This from a flight attendant who came to cockpit.) shortly thereafter we ran into severe turbulence. 2 heavy carts fell over. 3 flight attendants and the supervisor were injured. 1 with a back injury had to be carried off aircraft in iah by paramedics. 1 flight attendant had burns from hot coffee. 1 had a neck injury. Supervisor said she hit the ceiling, but her injuries were undetermined. The captain seemed overloaded with WX problems and flying the aircraft. I think he should have personally made a PA to have everything stowed and all seatbelts on, or he could have directed me or first officer to make the PA. He thought that the chain of command was enough, but it broke down. He was angry that his orders weren't obeyed, but he shares the responsibility for what happened.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT RPT, DC10, TURB, FLT ATTENDANTS INJURIES, CAPT MADE NO SEATBELT ANNOUNCEMENT.

Narrative: APCHING IAH, THERE WAS A LARGE STORM SYS FROM SAT TO N AND E OF IAH. THE CAPT HAD GONE TO THE CABIN AND TOLD THE FLT ATTENDANTS TO SECURE SVC ALL, AND ALL TO FASTEN BELTS. A FEW MINS LATER, HE ASKED ME TO DO THE SAME THING. IT WAS A CHAIN OF COMMAND. THE CAPT DID NOT WANT TO MAKE A PA ANNOUNCEMENT. THE FLT ATTENDANTS WERE NEW AND THERE WAS A SUPVR ABOARD WHO WASN'T PART OF THE CREW. SHE HAD GOTTEN THE WORD, BUT HAD TOLD THE FLT ATTENDANTS IN THE BACK TO CONTINUE SVC UNTIL CAPT MADE A PA. (THIS FROM A FLT ATTENDANT WHO CAME TO COCKPIT.) SHORTLY THEREAFTER WE RAN INTO SEVERE TURB. 2 HVY CARTS FELL OVER. 3 FLT ATTENDANTS AND THE SUPVR WERE INJURED. 1 WITH A BACK INJURY HAD TO BE CARRIED OFF ACFT IN IAH BY PARAMEDICS. 1 FLT ATTENDANT HAD BURNS FROM HOT COFFEE. 1 HAD A NECK INJURY. SUPVR SAID SHE HIT THE CEILING, BUT HER INJURIES WERE UNDETERMINED. THE CAPT SEEMED OVERLOADED WITH WX PROBS AND FLYING THE ACFT. I THINK HE SHOULD HAVE PERSONALLY MADE A PA TO HAVE EVERYTHING STOWED AND ALL SEATBELTS ON, OR HE COULD HAVE DIRECTED ME OR FO TO MAKE THE PA. HE THOUGHT THAT THE CHAIN OF COMMAND WAS ENOUGH, BUT IT BROKE DOWN. HE WAS ANGRY THAT HIS ORDERS WEREN'T OBEYED, BUT HE SHARES THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT HAPPENED.

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.