3 cabin attendants injured when B767 encounters moderate turbulence in vicinity of convective WX. Reporter faults captain for allowing attendants to continue service while seat belt sign still on for passenger.

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Attributes
ACN	589803
Time
Date	200307
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rsw.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl single value : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zma.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767-300 and 300 ER
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	589803
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	cabin event other inflight encounter : turbulence inflight encounter : weather
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

While deviating around thunderstorms at FL350, it had been a very smooth ride and so the captain (who told flight attendants earlier to be seated) told them they could resume service, with the seat belt sign turned on. Just a short time after he did this we hit 5-8 seconds worth of moderate turbulence due to the WX we had been deviating around. Carts were jarred and 3 flight attendants reported stiffness and 1 of these 3 reported that she hit her head. I constantly wonder why it is ok for flight attendants to be walking around when we have the seat belt sign on for passenger. If I were captain I would be much more conservative when dealing with turbulence and if in doubt keep everyone seated.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 3 CABIN ATTENDANTS INJURED WHEN B767 ENCOUNTERS MODERATE TURB IN VICINITY OF CONVECTIVE WX. RPTR FAULTS CAPT FOR ALLOWING ATTENDANTS TO CONTINUE SVC WHILE SEAT BELT SIGN STILL ON FOR PAX.

Narrative: WHILE DEVIATING AROUND TSTMS AT FL350, IT HAD BEEN A VERY SMOOTH RIDE AND SO THE CAPT (WHO TOLD FLT ATTENDANTS EARLIER TO BE SEATED) TOLD THEM THEY COULD RESUME SVC, WITH THE SEAT BELT SIGN TURNED ON. JUST A SHORT TIME AFTER HE DID THIS WE HIT 5-8 SECONDS WORTH OF MODERATE TURB DUE TO THE WX WE HAD BEEN DEVIATING AROUND. CARTS WERE JARRED AND 3 FLT ATTENDANTS RPTED STIFFNESS AND 1 OF THESE 3 RPTED THAT SHE HIT HER HEAD. I CONSTANTLY WONDER WHY IT IS OK FOR FLT ATTENDANTS TO BE WALKING AROUND WHEN WE HAVE THE SEAT BELT SIGN ON FOR PAX. IF I WERE CAPT I WOULD BE MUCH MORE CONSERVATIVE WHEN DEALING WITH TURB AND IF IN DOUBT KEEP EVERYONE SEATED.

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.