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A300 encounters unexpected WX related turbulence between lima and mia. Passenger in restroom, with seatbelt sign on, is injured.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 455020 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199910 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | intersection : arnal |
| State Reference | FO |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 28000 msl bound upper : 31000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Weather Elements | Turbulence |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A300 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Route In Use | enroute : other oceanic |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| ASRS Report | 455020 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : military |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | cabin event : passenger misconduct cabin event other inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : turbulence |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Weather Passenger Human Performance Environmental Factor Cabin Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Passenger Human Performance |
Narrative:
Initial review of flight paperwork indicates turbulence index 0 for entire flight routing. Initially cleared to FL280 due to lima air traffic. First officer made PA announcement in both english and spanish advising passenger while in seats please keep seatbelts fastened while seated and that flight crew is not always able to give advanced warning of unanticipated turbulence. Approximately 45 mins en route encountered moderate chop. Turned on seatbelt sign, advised cabin crew to terminate service and be seated. Advised flight support lima and dispatch of ride conditions. Solicited ride reports from lima center and requested FL310. Cleared to FL310. 10 mins later, ride improved. Flight attendants resumed service, turned off seatbelt sign. Between points arnal and grand caymen, we were deviating around rainshowers as a precaution. Illuminated seatbelt sign. In and out of high stratus. Encountered VMC and noticed a buildup not painting on radar. First officer initiated a turn to the right to avoid buildup. At this time, encountered unexpected moderate turbulence. First officer disconnected autoplt, allowing aircraft to ride the turbulence -- not applying opposing control forces to aggravate the situation. Flight attendants advised that during this time, while the seatbelt sign was illuminated, one passenger decided to use the restroom and was injured. Flight landed at mia.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A300 ENCOUNTERS UNEXPECTED WX RELATED TURB BTWN LIMA AND MIA. PAX IN RESTROOM, WITH SEATBELT SIGN ON, IS INJURED.
Narrative: INITIAL REVIEW OF FLT PAPERWORK INDICATES TURB INDEX 0 FOR ENTIRE FLT ROUTING. INITIALLY CLRED TO FL280 DUE TO LIMA AIR TFC. FO MADE PA ANNOUNCEMENT IN BOTH ENGLISH AND SPANISH ADVISING PAX WHILE IN SEATS PLEASE KEEP SEATBELTS FASTENED WHILE SEATED AND THAT FLC IS NOT ALWAYS ABLE TO GIVE ADVANCED WARNING OF UNANTICIPATED TURB. APPROX 45 MINS ENRTE ENCOUNTERED MODERATE CHOP. TURNED ON SEATBELT SIGN, ADVISED CABIN CREW TO TERMINATE SVC AND BE SEATED. ADVISED FLT SUPPORT LIMA AND DISPATCH OF RIDE CONDITIONS. SOLICITED RIDE RPTS FROM LIMA CTR AND REQUESTED FL310. CLRED TO FL310. 10 MINS LATER, RIDE IMPROVED. FLT ATTENDANTS RESUMED SVC, TURNED OFF SEATBELT SIGN. BTWN POINTS ARNAL AND GRAND CAYMEN, WE WERE DEVIATING AROUND RAINSHOWERS AS A PRECAUTION. ILLUMINATED SEATBELT SIGN. IN AND OUT OF HIGH STRATUS. ENCOUNTERED VMC AND NOTICED A BUILDUP NOT PAINTING ON RADAR. FO INITIATED A TURN TO THE R TO AVOID BUILDUP. AT THIS TIME, ENCOUNTERED UNEXPECTED MODERATE TURB. FO DISCONNECTED AUTOPLT, ALLOWING ACFT TO RIDE THE TURB -- NOT APPLYING OPPOSING CTL FORCES TO AGGRAVATE THE SIT. FLT ATTENDANTS ADVISED THAT DURING THIS TIME, WHILE THE SEATBELT SIGN WAS ILLUMINATED, ONE PAX DECIDED TO USE THE RESTROOM AND WAS INJURED. FLT LANDED AT MIA.
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.