Narrative:

We were vectored off course for traffic. The new heading was taking us toward a build-up that showed only green on the radar. At approximately 20-25 mi from the build-up we were given a turn back on course, and entered IMC conditions briefly. Upon entering the clouds we encountered very heavy turbulence that lasted for approximately 5 seconds. The seat belt sign was on, however, the flight attendants were not seated. An announcement over the PA was made by the captain for the flight attendants to be seated immediately. The flight attendants in the aisle sat on the floor, but the galley cart apparently lifted up and came down on one of the flight attendants. This caused bruising and swelling. An onboard doctor administered first aid and suggested x-rays to determine the extent of the damage. Paramedics met the flight in ord and took her to the hospital for x-rays. The WX encounter surprised us as all indications were that turbulence of that magnitude wasn't expected. I would classify it as the upper degree of moderate turbulence based on the manual description.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B752 FO RPTED THAT A FLT ATTENDANT WAS INJURED DURING A SUDDEN ENCOUNTER WITH TURB IN ZJX AIRSPACE.

Narrative: WE WERE VECTORED OFF COURSE FOR TFC. THE NEW HEADING WAS TAKING US TOWARD A BUILD-UP THAT SHOWED ONLY GREEN ON THE RADAR. AT APPROX 20-25 MI FROM THE BUILD-UP WE WERE GIVEN A TURN BACK ON COURSE, AND ENTERED IMC CONDITIONS BRIEFLY. UPON ENTERING THE CLOUDS WE ENCOUNTERED VERY HVY TURB THAT LASTED FOR APPROX 5 SECONDS. THE SEAT BELT SIGN WAS ON, HOWEVER, THE FLT ATTENDANTS WERE NOT SEATED. AN ANNOUNCEMENT OVER THE PA WAS MADE BY THE CAPT FOR THE FLT ATTENDANTS TO BE SEATED IMMEDIATELY. THE FLT ATTENDANTS IN THE AISLE SAT ON THE FLOOR, BUT THE GALLEY CART APPARENTLY LIFTED UP AND CAME DOWN ON ONE OF THE FLT ATTENDANTS. THIS CAUSED BRUISING AND SWELLING. AN ONBOARD DOCTOR ADMINISTERED FIRST AID AND SUGGESTED X-RAYS TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE. PARAMEDICS MET THE FLT IN ORD AND TOOK HER TO THE HOSPITAL FOR X-RAYS. THE WX ENCOUNTER SURPRISED US AS ALL INDICATIONS WERE THAT TURB OF THAT MAGNITUDE WASN'T EXPECTED. I WOULD CLASSIFY IT AS THE UPPER DEGREE OF MODERATE TURB BASED ON THE MANUAL DESCRIPTION.

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.