Narrative:

On descent into pvd, it had been smooth with some occasional light chop. Passing through about FL220 to FL210, without any warning, we encountered moderate turbulence and chop. Shortly thereafter, flight attendant called and said that he and another flight attendant had been knocked down, and that he fell on the other flight attendant, and that she had been injured. We told him we would be on the ground shortly and would order paramedics. About this time, dispatch called to update us on pvd WX. We asked him to notify pvd and have paramedics standing by. Passing about 10000 ft, the first flight attendant called and said that he was concerned that the other flight attendant was going into shock and asked if we could coordinate to have the paramedics board before passenger got off. We flew an expedited approach into pvd, and the paramedics met the aircraft. They checked the flight attendant out in the jetway and then took her to the emergency room. There were no SIGMET or turbulence warnings for this area and we had not received any PIREPS. Shortly after we encountered the turbulence, as I was talking to dispatch, ZBW told another aircraft and us of moderate chop from 14000 ft to FL180. Inquiring about the ride in the descent maybe could have prevented this, but I'm not sure. We had several frequency changes, and I'm not sure that PIREPS are passed from center sectors. In this case, we may have been the first aircraft to run into turbulence at this altitude. It certainly highlights the importance of passing on ride reports. Supplemental information from acn 574290: first officer flying teddy 2 arrival into pvd. After making FL290 crossing restr 50 NM east of nuk, ZBW cleared us to FL210 and direct bdl. In descent, encountered moderate turbulence and chop passing FL220. Fasten seatbelt sign was immediately turned on. We advised passenger to remain seated upon gate arrival until the paramedics had treated the injured flight attendant. Company dispatch reviewed all WX reports and PIREPS and found no report of turbulence in our area. PIREPS could have prevented this incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DSNDING INTO BOS OUT OF FL220 ON TEDDY STAR, B737-700 FLT CREW ENCOUNTER UNRPTED MODERATE TURB, CAUSING FLT ATTENDANT INJURY.

Narrative: ON DSCNT INTO PVD, IT HAD BEEN SMOOTH WITH SOME OCCASIONAL LIGHT CHOP. PASSING THROUGH ABOUT FL220 TO FL210, WITHOUT ANY WARNING, WE ENCOUNTERED MODERATE TURB AND CHOP. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, FLT ATTENDANT CALLED AND SAID THAT HE AND ANOTHER FLT ATTENDANT HAD BEEN KNOCKED DOWN, AND THAT HE FELL ON THE OTHER FLT ATTENDANT, AND THAT SHE HAD BEEN INJURED. WE TOLD HIM WE WOULD BE ON THE GND SHORTLY AND WOULD ORDER PARAMEDICS. ABOUT THIS TIME, DISPATCH CALLED TO UPDATE US ON PVD WX. WE ASKED HIM TO NOTIFY PVD AND HAVE PARAMEDICS STANDING BY. PASSING ABOUT 10000 FT, THE FIRST FLT ATTENDANT CALLED AND SAID THAT HE WAS CONCERNED THAT THE OTHER FLT ATTENDANT WAS GOING INTO SHOCK AND ASKED IF WE COULD COORDINATE TO HAVE THE PARAMEDICS BOARD BEFORE PAX GOT OFF. WE FLEW AN EXPEDITED APCH INTO PVD, AND THE PARAMEDICS MET THE ACFT. THEY CHKED THE FLT ATTENDANT OUT IN THE JETWAY AND THEN TOOK HER TO THE EMER ROOM. THERE WERE NO SIGMET OR TURB WARNINGS FOR THIS AREA AND WE HAD NOT RECEIVED ANY PIREPS. SHORTLY AFTER WE ENCOUNTERED THE TURB, AS I WAS TALKING TO DISPATCH, ZBW TOLD ANOTHER ACFT AND US OF MODERATE CHOP FROM 14000 FT TO FL180. INQUIRING ABOUT THE RIDE IN THE DSCNT MAYBE COULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS, BUT I'M NOT SURE. WE HAD SEVERAL FREQ CHANGES, AND I'M NOT SURE THAT PIREPS ARE PASSED FROM CTR SECTORS. IN THIS CASE, WE MAY HAVE BEEN THE FIRST ACFT TO RUN INTO TURB AT THIS ALT. IT CERTAINLY HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE OF PASSING ON RIDE RPTS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 574290: FO FLYING TEDDY 2 ARR INTO PVD. AFTER MAKING FL290 XING RESTR 50 NM E OF NUK, ZBW CLRED US TO FL210 AND DIRECT BDL. IN DSCNT, ENCOUNTERED MODERATE TURB AND CHOP PASSING FL220. FASTEN SEATBELT SIGN WAS IMMEDIATELY TURNED ON. WE ADVISED PAX TO REMAIN SEATED UPON GATE ARR UNTIL THE PARAMEDICS HAD TREATED THE INJURED FLT ATTENDANT. COMPANY DISPATCH REVIEWED ALL WX RPTS AND PIREPS AND FOUND NO RPT OF TURB IN OUR AREA. PIREPS COULD HAVE PREVENTED 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.