Narrative:

Following a normal takeoff and climb, we were cleared to FL290 direct rochester, mn, on course. During climb, we encountered light turbulence. ATC advised us that mostly light and occasional moderate was reported at all altitudes. This was also stated in our release paperwork. At 109 mi wnw of jvl (114.3), we experienced severe turbulence. We immediately requested a lower altitude and we were experiencing severe turbulence. We were told to standby. I came back on the radio and said we were leaving FL290 and ATC replied 'descend to FL210.' autoplt was immediately disconnected, and I told the flight attendants to take their seats. The PA was made just mins prior, briefing passenger of possible turbulence and to remain seated with seatbelts on. We descended the aircraft. The aircraft was difficult to control. We requested a block altitude -- we didn't think we would be able to level off at a specific altitude. At FL210, the ride was smooth and we were reclred to FL190. Once in smooth air, I went to the cabin to check on passenger, flight attendants and condition of cabin. Passenger were all good, flight attendants were not able to make it to their seats. The lead was in first class and held by a passenger and the aft flight attendant was thrown around as was her galley cart. When I went back to the rear of the aircraft I found out the galley cart had flipped around and struck the ceiling. In doing so, it smashed overhead lights. There was pop and beer and broken glass everywhere. Asking if she was ok, she said she hit the ceiling also, she was sore but ok. I helped her clean up a little so the emergency exit could be used if needed. As no injuries were apparent to either passenger or crew, we continued to ord where a landing was made uneventfully. A logbook write-up was made describing the event. Also during descent, the cargo smoke/fire detector went off, then went out. We suspected bags hitting the sensors in the ceiling. As this happens at times when they load bags at the gate, no emergency was made because we received an altitude change as needed and there were no injuries to passenger or crew and no abnormal or ctlability problems with the aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CABIN ATTENDANT OF A DC9 INJURED AND ACFT CABIN DAMAGED DURING SEVERE TURB.

Narrative: FOLLOWING A NORMAL TKOF AND CLB, WE WERE CLRED TO FL290 DIRECT ROCHESTER, MN, ON COURSE. DURING CLB, WE ENCOUNTERED LIGHT TURB. ATC ADVISED US THAT MOSTLY LIGHT AND OCCASIONAL MODERATE WAS RPTED AT ALL ALTS. THIS WAS ALSO STATED IN OUR RELEASE PAPERWORK. AT 109 MI WNW OF JVL (114.3), WE EXPERIENCED SEVERE TURB. WE IMMEDIATELY REQUESTED A LOWER ALT AND WE WERE EXPERIENCING SEVERE TURB. WE WERE TOLD TO STANDBY. I CAME BACK ON THE RADIO AND SAID WE WERE LEAVING FL290 AND ATC REPLIED 'DSND TO FL210.' AUTOPLT WAS IMMEDIATELY DISCONNECTED, AND I TOLD THE FLT ATTENDANTS TO TAKE THEIR SEATS. THE PA WAS MADE JUST MINS PRIOR, BRIEFING PAX OF POSSIBLE TURB AND TO REMAIN SEATED WITH SEATBELTS ON. WE DSNDED THE ACFT. THE ACFT WAS DIFFICULT TO CTL. WE REQUESTED A BLOCK ALT -- WE DIDN'T THINK WE WOULD BE ABLE TO LEVEL OFF AT A SPECIFIC ALT. AT FL210, THE RIDE WAS SMOOTH AND WE WERE RECLRED TO FL190. ONCE IN SMOOTH AIR, I WENT TO THE CABIN TO CHK ON PAX, FLT ATTENDANTS AND CONDITION OF CABIN. PAX WERE ALL GOOD, FLT ATTENDANTS WERE NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT TO THEIR SEATS. THE LEAD WAS IN FIRST CLASS AND HELD BY A PAX AND THE AFT FLT ATTENDANT WAS THROWN AROUND AS WAS HER GALLEY CART. WHEN I WENT BACK TO THE REAR OF THE ACFT I FOUND OUT THE GALLEY CART HAD FLIPPED AROUND AND STRUCK THE CEILING. IN DOING SO, IT SMASHED OVERHEAD LIGHTS. THERE WAS POP AND BEER AND BROKEN GLASS EVERYWHERE. ASKING IF SHE WAS OK, SHE SAID SHE HIT THE CEILING ALSO, SHE WAS SORE BUT OK. I HELPED HER CLEAN UP A LITTLE SO THE EMER EXIT COULD BE USED IF NEEDED. AS NO INJURIES WERE APPARENT TO EITHER PAX OR CREW, WE CONTINUED TO ORD WHERE A LNDG WAS MADE UNEVENTFULLY. A LOGBOOK WRITE-UP WAS MADE DESCRIBING THE EVENT. ALSO DURING DSCNT, THE CARGO SMOKE/FIRE DETECTOR WENT OFF, THEN WENT OUT. WE SUSPECTED BAGS HITTING THE SENSORS IN THE CEILING. AS THIS HAPPENS AT TIMES WHEN THEY LOAD BAGS AT THE GATE, NO EMER WAS MADE BECAUSE WE RECEIVED AN ALT CHANGE AS NEEDED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO PAX OR CREW AND NO ABNORMAL OR CTLABILITY PROBS WITH THE ACFT.

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.