Narrative:

After leveling at FL280, we discussed deviation for WX returns ahead. We asked 15 degrees left around southern end. ATC said that would conflict with iah arrs. ATC reported other traffic used large break to right off course. We confirmed break on right visually and accepted deviation clearance. I called the flight attendant and asked if the carts were out. They said no. I told them to leave the carts stowed since we might get a rough ride for the next 5 mins or so. The first officer reduced speed to 280 KTS. Approximately 3 mins later, just as we entered some cloud tops, we encountered moderate turbulence with almost no preceding chop. The aircraft rolled approximately 10 degrees and the autoplt reverted to control wheel steering. We encountered strong updrafts with altitude deviation of approximately 250 ft. The first officer disengaged the autoplt and smoothly returned the aircraft to fly 280 degrees and re-engaged autoplt. After approximately 15 seconds, we were in clear air again northwest of the WX. We were advised a flight attendant was down in the aft galley area with apparent hip or leg injury. We called dispatch to arrange diversion for medical assistance. We conferenced and I decided to go to dfw, 40 mi away. The flight attendant called to report a beverage cart was broken and could not be secured normally. A non-revenue pilot volunteered to secure the cart in the best manner possible for landing. We made a normal approach and overweight landing at dfw on runway 18L at 152000 pounds. Dfw emt's met us at the gate and took the injured flight attendant away.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CABIN ATTENDANT INJURED WHEN B737-800 ENCOUNTERS TURB DURING ATTEMPT TO CIRCUMNAV TSTMS.

Narrative: AFTER LEVELING AT FL280, WE DISCUSSED DEV FOR WX RETURNS AHEAD. WE ASKED 15 DEGS L AROUND SOUTHERN END. ATC SAID THAT WOULD CONFLICT WITH IAH ARRS. ATC RPTED OTHER TFC USED LARGE BREAK TO R OFF COURSE. WE CONFIRMED BREAK ON R VISUALLY AND ACCEPTED DEV CLRNC. I CALLED THE FLT ATTENDANT AND ASKED IF THE CARTS WERE OUT. THEY SAID NO. I TOLD THEM TO LEAVE THE CARTS STOWED SINCE WE MIGHT GET A ROUGH RIDE FOR THE NEXT 5 MINS OR SO. THE FO REDUCED SPD TO 280 KTS. APPROX 3 MINS LATER, JUST AS WE ENTERED SOME CLOUD TOPS, WE ENCOUNTERED MODERATE TURB WITH ALMOST NO PRECEDING CHOP. THE ACFT ROLLED APPROX 10 DEGS AND THE AUTOPLT REVERTED TO CTL WHEEL STEERING. WE ENCOUNTERED STRONG UPDRAFTS WITH ALTDEV OF APPROX 250 FT. THE FO DISENGAGED THE AUTOPLT AND SMOOTHLY RETURNED THE ACFT TO FLY 280 DEGS AND RE-ENGAGED AUTOPLT. AFTER APPROX 15 SECONDS, WE WERE IN CLR AIR AGAIN NW OF THE WX. WE WERE ADVISED A FLT ATTENDANT WAS DOWN IN THE AFT GALLEY AREA WITH APPARENT HIP OR LEG INJURY. WE CALLED DISPATCH TO ARRANGE DIVERSION FOR MEDICAL ASSISTANCE. WE CONFERENCED AND I DECIDED TO GO TO DFW, 40 MI AWAY. THE FLT ATTENDANT CALLED TO RPT A BEVERAGE CART WAS BROKEN AND COULD NOT BE SECURED NORMALLY. A NON-REVENUE PLT VOLUNTEERED TO SECURE THE CART IN THE BEST MANNER POSSIBLE FOR LNDG. WE MADE A NORMAL APCH AND OVERWT LNDG AT DFW ON RWY 18L AT 152000 LBS. DFW EMT'S MET US AT THE GATE AND TOOK THE INJURED FLT ATTENDANT AWAY.

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.