B737 flight crew northbound on UG448 in muph airspace encounter clear air turbulence resulting in in...

Attributes
ACN	592011
Time
Date	200308
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : uva.vor
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl single value : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Turbulence
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : muph.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-800
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute airway : ug448.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	592011
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : turbulence inflight encounter : weather
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

We had been IMC for the past 20 mins at FL350 with a smooth ride. Both radars had been on since takeoff and were looking ahead both with appropriate tilt and range. This was an IOE for first officer and we had briefed appropriate radar discipline that day. Radar screens were both showing no WX of any kind. 20 mi south of uva, we encountered a quick moderate to severe jolt or two. The autoplt stayed connected during the event, but positive and then negative 'G' forces were experienced. The seatbelt sign had been off due to previous smooth ride and no radar returns ahead. Seatbelt sign turned on as soon as we felt first jolt and PA made. 1 passenger was in the aft lavatory and scratched his knee. 1 flight attendant complained of neck injury during the event. All other passenger and crew ok. Passenger service representatives and maintenance met flight as per our request. We tried to report this encounter with havana and were unable due to the controller's inability with the english language. We then called ZMA to inform them and have them call havana on the phone to pass on our PIREP. This process, due to the controller's inability to understand english was frustrating as other english speaking aircraft pilots might have been affected as well. Debriefed with ZMA and dispatch. Flight was uneventful north of uva to touchdown.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 FLT CREW NBOUND ON UG448 IN MUPH AIRSPACE ENCOUNTER CLR AIR TURB RESULTING IN INJURIES. LANGUAGE BARRIER CAUSES PIREP TO BE PROCESSED THROUGH ZMA.

Narrative: WE HAD BEEN IMC FOR THE PAST 20 MINS AT FL350 WITH A SMOOTH RIDE. BOTH RADARS HAD BEEN ON SINCE TKOF AND WERE LOOKING AHEAD BOTH WITH APPROPRIATE TILT AND RANGE. THIS WAS AN IOE FOR FO AND WE HAD BRIEFED APPROPRIATE RADAR DISCIPLINE THAT DAY. RADAR SCREENS WERE BOTH SHOWING NO WX OF ANY KIND. 20 MI S OF UVA, WE ENCOUNTERED A QUICK MODERATE TO SEVERE JOLT OR TWO. THE AUTOPLT STAYED CONNECTED DURING THE EVENT, BUT POSITIVE AND THEN NEGATIVE 'G' FORCES WERE EXPERIENCED. THE SEATBELT SIGN HAD BEEN OFF DUE TO PREVIOUS SMOOTH RIDE AND NO RADAR RETURNS AHEAD. SEATBELT SIGN TURNED ON AS SOON AS WE FELT FIRST JOLT AND PA MADE. 1 PAX WAS IN THE AFT LAVATORY AND SCRATCHED HIS KNEE. 1 FLT ATTENDANT COMPLAINED OF NECK INJURY DURING THE EVENT. ALL OTHER PAX AND CREW OK. PAX SVC REPRESENTATIVES AND MAINT MET FLT AS PER OUR REQUEST. WE TRIED TO RPT THIS ENCOUNTER WITH HAVANA AND WERE UNABLE DUE TO THE CTLR'S INABILITY WITH THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. WE THEN CALLED ZMA TO INFORM THEM AND HAVE THEM CALL HAVANA ON THE PHONE TO PASS ON OUR PIREP. THIS PROCESS, DUE TO THE CTLR'S INABILITY TO UNDERSTAND ENGLISH WAS FRUSTRATING AS OTHER ENGLISH SPEAKING ACFT PLTS MIGHT HAVE BEEN AFFECTED AS WELL. DEBRIEFED WITH ZMA AND DISPATCH. FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL N OF UVA TO TOUCHDOWN.

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.

B737 flight crew northbound on UG448 in muph airspace encounter clear air turbulence resulting in injuries. Language barrier causes PIREP to be processed through ZMA.