Narrative:

Whilst cruising FL330 down airway southeast of kec VOR just south of tapop, encountered a single 'jolt' of turbulence which showed a 400 ft altitude gain (on altimeters). Note: the B autoplt did not disengage. This occurred whilst in light cloud tops IMC with no moderate or heavy precipitation showing on WX radar. The jolt resulted in 3 of the 4 flight attendants being thrown against galley equipment. 1 flight attendant was evaluated at medical clinic upon arrival guam (minor shoulder injury). We were approximately 15 NM behind company flight on same track and awaiting clearance to a higher altitude. No passenger injuries reported, no internal equipment damage noted. We deviated off track slightly before and after event to minimize time in clouds and avoid moderate returns on WX radar. The flight attendants were briefed earlier to expect some light bumpiness along this route. Company traffic ahead of us caused our delay to reach filed altitude of FL370. Supplemental information from acn 622339: during ATC authority/authorized deviation to right off course for WX radar returns, aircraft encountered abrupt moderate turbulence at FL350 for about 3 seconds, with some altdevs. The autoplt remained connected, and we were in the clear in about 1 min. Flight attendants had been advised that we may encounter some turbulence but were still servicing. We notified the company on arrival in guam and the flight attendant went to the clinic for check up. The captain went to operations to fill out an irregularity report. I may have been able to avoid this by asking the flight attendants to discontinue service, however it appeared that we would stay clear of any major turbulence associated with the buildups shown on the radar.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT ATTENDANT INJURED WHEN A B737-700 FLT RUNS INTO A BRIEF PERIOD OF TURB WITH A 400 FT ALT EXCURSION AT FL330 NEAR TAPOP INTXN, FO.

Narrative: WHILST CRUISING FL330 DOWN AIRWAY SE OF KEC VOR JUST S OF TAPOP, ENCOUNTERED A SINGLE 'JOLT' OF TURB WHICH SHOWED A 400 FT ALT GAIN (ON ALTIMETERS). NOTE: THE B AUTOPLT DID NOT DISENGAGE. THIS OCCURRED WHILST IN LIGHT CLOUD TOPS IMC WITH NO MODERATE OR HVY PRECIPITATION SHOWING ON WX RADAR. THE JOLT RESULTED IN 3 OF THE 4 FLT ATTENDANTS BEING THROWN AGAINST GALLEY EQUIP. 1 FLT ATTENDANT WAS EVALUATED AT MEDICAL CLINIC UPON ARR GUAM (MINOR SHOULDER INJURY). WE WERE APPROX 15 NM BEHIND COMPANY FLT ON SAME TRACK AND AWAITING CLRNC TO A HIGHER ALT. NO PAX INJURIES RPTED, NO INTERNAL EQUIP DAMAGE NOTED. WE DEVIATED OFF TRACK SLIGHTLY BEFORE AND AFTER EVENT TO MINIMIZE TIME IN CLOUDS AND AVOID MODERATE RETURNS ON WX RADAR. THE FLT ATTENDANTS WERE BRIEFED EARLIER TO EXPECT SOME LIGHT BUMPINESS ALONG THIS RTE. COMPANY TFC AHEAD OF US CAUSED OUR DELAY TO REACH FILED ALT OF FL370. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 622339: DURING ATC AUTH DEV TO R OFF COURSE FOR WX RADAR RETURNS, ACFT ENCOUNTERED ABRUPT MODERATE TURB AT FL350 FOR ABOUT 3 SECONDS, WITH SOME ALTDEVS. THE AUTOPLT REMAINED CONNECTED, AND WE WERE IN THE CLR IN ABOUT 1 MIN. FLT ATTENDANTS HAD BEEN ADVISED THAT WE MAY ENCOUNTER SOME TURB BUT WERE STILL SVCING. WE NOTIFIED THE COMPANY ON ARR IN GUAM AND THE FLT ATTENDANT WENT TO THE CLINIC FOR CHK UP. THE CAPT WENT TO OPS TO FILL OUT AN IRREGULARITY RPT. I MAY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO AVOID THIS BY ASKING THE FLT ATTENDANTS TO DISCONTINUE SVC, HOWEVER IT APPEARED THAT WE WOULD STAY CLR OF ANY MAJOR TURB ASSOCIATED WITH THE BUILDUPS SHOWN ON THE RADAR.

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.