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Flight attendant report on a wake turbulence encounter which was a surprise to all on board an air carrier B757 on frequency with ZAB, NM.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 616251 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200404 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : zab.artcc |
| State Reference | NM |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Weather Elements | Turbulence |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zab.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-11 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight attendant : on duty |
| Experience | flight attendant time airline total : 5 flight attendant time total : 5 flight attendant time type : 25 |
| ASRS Report | 616251 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe inflight encounter : wake turbulence |
| Independent Detector | other other : cab 1 |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor Aircraft Airspace Structure |
| Primary Problem | Environmental Factor |
Narrative:
How can clear air turbulence be prevented? We hit the wake of an MD11. Perhaps if we would have waited to climb until we passed the wake -- it's hard to say from my perspective. The good thing was that the seatbelt sign was still on, so most of the passenger were safely seated. We were told to stay seated due to winds coming out of las. After the second chime (10000 ft), we remained seated for approximately 20-25 mins more. Once it was safe, the captain cleared us to resume our duties. I was sitting on the aft galley jumpseat waiting for the #2 flight attendant to finish setting the cart up so we could begin our service. At this point, the air was smooth. We had no warning. The turbulence came out of nowhere and it was a powerful jolt. The noise was loud, screams were heard and it may have been worse if it wasn't for the captain and his experience in plting as well as the seatbelt sign on. The captain handled the situation extremely well, calm and responsibly as well as my fellow crew members.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLT ATTENDANT RPT ON A WAKE TURB ENCOUNTER WHICH WAS A SURPRISE TO ALL ON BOARD AN ACR B757 ON FREQ WITH ZAB, NM.
Narrative: HOW CAN CLR AIR TURB BE PREVENTED? WE HIT THE WAKE OF AN MD11. PERHAPS IF WE WOULD HAVE WAITED TO CLB UNTIL WE PASSED THE WAKE -- IT'S HARD TO SAY FROM MY PERSPECTIVE. THE GOOD THING WAS THAT THE SEATBELT SIGN WAS STILL ON, SO MOST OF THE PAX WERE SAFELY SEATED. WE WERE TOLD TO STAY SEATED DUE TO WINDS COMING OUT OF LAS. AFTER THE SECOND CHIME (10000 FT), WE REMAINED SEATED FOR APPROX 20-25 MINS MORE. ONCE IT WAS SAFE, THE CAPT CLRED US TO RESUME OUR DUTIES. I WAS SITTING ON THE AFT GALLEY JUMPSEAT WAITING FOR THE #2 FLT ATTENDANT TO FINISH SETTING THE CART UP SO WE COULD BEGIN OUR SVC. AT THIS POINT, THE AIR WAS SMOOTH. WE HAD NO WARNING. THE TURB CAME OUT OF NOWHERE AND IT WAS A POWERFUL JOLT. THE NOISE WAS LOUD, SCREAMS WERE HEARD AND IT MAY HAVE BEEN WORSE IF IT WASN'T FOR THE CAPT AND HIS EXPERIENCE IN PLTING AS WELL AS THE SEATBELT SIGN ON. THE CAPT HANDLED THE SIT EXTREMELY WELL, CALM AND RESPONSIBLY AS WELL AS MY FELLOW CREW MEMBERS.
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.