Wake turbulence from B747 injures a cabin attendant on B737 during a STAR arrival into lax.

Attributes
ACN	516160
Time
Date	200106
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 22000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla.artcc tracon : pct.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors arrival star : sadde
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B747-400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Route In Use	arrival star : sadde
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 4400 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	516160
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : wake turbulence
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 3
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Cabin Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

We were on the sadde 6 arrival into lax when ATC started giving us vectors around the course for separation. I was the PF, and did not see anyone out in front of us, but did see a target roughly 8 mi ahead of us on TCASII. We were never advised that it was a heavy jet. We had seated the passenger, but the flight attendants were up when we hit the B747's wake turbulence. The captain immediately contacted the cabin to make sure everyone was alright while I contacted ATC to find out what type aircraft we were following. The flight attendants reported that everything in the cabin was ok except for 2 seat cushions which had spilled tomato juice all over them. When I questioned ATC as to who we were following, the center controller was extremely rude and made me repeat my question 3 times before telling us it was a heavy jet. I believe that he had lost separation and was avoiding stating that fact. On the ground, our purser complained of neck pain and was ultimately removed from the trip. I believe that if the controller had initially told us we were following a heavy, I would have been able to adjust my flight path on the descent to avoid this situation. Thankfully, we did not have any passenger standing, as I think more people would have been injured during this incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WAKE TURB FROM B747 INJURES A CABIN ATTENDANT ON B737 DURING A STAR ARR INTO LAX.

Narrative: WE WERE ON THE SADDE 6 ARR INTO LAX WHEN ATC STARTED GIVING US VECTORS AROUND THE COURSE FOR SEPARATION. I WAS THE PF, AND DID NOT SEE ANYONE OUT IN FRONT OF US, BUT DID SEE A TARGET ROUGHLY 8 MI AHEAD OF US ON TCASII. WE WERE NEVER ADVISED THAT IT WAS A HVY JET. WE HAD SEATED THE PAX, BUT THE FLT ATTENDANTS WERE UP WHEN WE HIT THE B747'S WAKE TURB. THE CAPT IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED THE CABIN TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE WAS ALRIGHT WHILE I CONTACTED ATC TO FIND OUT WHAT TYPE ACFT WE WERE FOLLOWING. THE FLT ATTENDANTS RPTED THAT EVERYTHING IN THE CABIN WAS OK EXCEPT FOR 2 SEAT CUSHIONS WHICH HAD SPILLED TOMATO JUICE ALL OVER THEM. WHEN I QUESTIONED ATC AS TO WHO WE WERE FOLLOWING, THE CTR CTLR WAS EXTREMELY RUDE AND MADE ME REPEAT MY QUESTION 3 TIMES BEFORE TELLING US IT WAS A HVY JET. I BELIEVE THAT HE HAD LOST SEPARATION AND WAS AVOIDING STATING THAT FACT. ON THE GND, OUR PURSER COMPLAINED OF NECK PAIN AND WAS ULTIMATELY REMOVED FROM THE TRIP. I BELIEVE THAT IF THE CTLR HAD INITIALLY TOLD US WE WERE FOLLOWING A HVY, I WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ADJUST MY FLT PATH ON THE DSCNT TO AVOID THIS SIT. THANKFULLY, WE DID NOT HAVE ANY PAX STANDING, AS I THINK MORE PEOPLE WOULD HAVE BEEN INJURED DURING THIS INCIDENT.

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.