Narrative:

During cruise flight at FL330, flight encountered moderate to severe turbulence. We were approximately 60 mi southwest of cys at the time of the encounter. We were deviating to the south to avoid WX we were painting on our WX radar. We noted WX was just east of cys. At the time, we were flying in a haze layer (obscuration). The deviation positioned us at least 20 mi south of noted WX. At this time, the seatbelt sign had been on for approximately 20 mins. We were not experiencing any significant turbulence, but had seatbelt sign on due to relative proximity to noted WX in addition to the flight being in obscured conditions. Just prior to the encounter, we broke out of obscuration. Directly in front of us upon breaking out was a cumulus cloud, which we attempted to but were unable to avoid, (flight path went through the upper right quadrant of cloud). We did not detect this buildup on our WX radar. Upon entering the cloud, we encountered moderate to severe turbulence. After the encounter I (captain) immediately contacted the #1 flight attendant. She indicated that she was not hurt. She then called back and informed me that flight attendants #1A and #2 were seriously hurt. I declared an emergency and we diverted to den where paramedics were standing by.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 CREW ENCOUNTERED MODERATE TO SEVERE TURB WHEN THEY PENETRATED A TSTM CELL IN ZDV CLASS A. 2 FLT ATTENDANTS WERE SERIOUSLY HURT.

Narrative: DURING CRUISE FLT AT FL330, FLT ENCOUNTERED MODERATE TO SEVERE TURB. WE WERE APPROX 60 MI SW OF CYS AT THE TIME OF THE ENCOUNTER. WE WERE DEVIATING TO THE S TO AVOID WX WE WERE PAINTING ON OUR WX RADAR. WE NOTED WX WAS JUST E OF CYS. AT THE TIME, WE WERE FLYING IN A HAZE LAYER (OBSCURATION). THE DEV POSITIONED US AT LEAST 20 MI S OF NOTED WX. AT THIS TIME, THE SEATBELT SIGN HAD BEEN ON FOR APPROX 20 MINS. WE WERE NOT EXPERIENCING ANY SIGNIFICANT TURB, BUT HAD SEATBELT SIGN ON DUE TO RELATIVE PROX TO NOTED WX IN ADDITION TO THE FLT BEING IN OBSCURED CONDITIONS. JUST PRIOR TO THE ENCOUNTER, WE BROKE OUT OF OBSCURATION. DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF US UPON BREAKING OUT WAS A CUMULUS CLOUD, WHICH WE ATTEMPTED TO BUT WERE UNABLE TO AVOID, (FLT PATH WENT THROUGH THE UPPER R QUADRANT OF CLOUD). WE DID NOT DETECT THIS BUILDUP ON OUR WX RADAR. UPON ENTERING THE CLOUD, WE ENCOUNTERED MODERATE TO SEVERE TURB. AFTER THE ENCOUNTER I (CAPT) IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED THE #1 FLT ATTENDANT. SHE INDICATED THAT SHE WAS NOT HURT. SHE THEN CALLED BACK AND INFORMED ME THAT FLT ATTENDANTS #1A AND #2 WERE SERIOUSLY HURT. I DECLARED AN EMER AND WE DIVERTED TO DEN WHERE PARAMEDICS WERE STANDING BY.

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.