B767 PIC report of a short encounter with moderate turbulence wherein one passenger was scalded by a...

Attributes
ACN	622350
Time
Date	200309
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zma.artcc
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl single value : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Turbulence
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zma.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 253 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	622350
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	cabin event other inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : turbulence other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : 3
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Cabin Crew Human Performance Passenger Human Performance Weather Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

While level at FL390 we were in the tops of the overcast with no thunderstorm echoes displayed on the radar. I had been ranging back and forth on the scales and using various tilts. We had been in light chop most of the flight and the seat belt sign was on. We hit an area of moderate turbulence for about 5 or 10 seconds with some up and down vectors, during which we didn't gain or lose more than 20 ft or so and the autoplt did not disengage. But during this time a serving cart apparently moved enough to hit a woman's arm and spill a pot of coffee on another woman. The flight continued to houston and emts and passenger service representatives were requested to meet the flight. One decision that I made that impacted the event was to allow the flight attendants to do a service. At the time the turbulence was only light and I felt it was safe to do so. One thing I did not do, which I should have, was to inform ATC of the turbulence and the injuries, but there was a time lag involved in getting information from the back of the aircraft. When things settled down I neglected to do so.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767 PIC RPT OF A SHORT ENCOUNTER WITH MODERATE TURB WHEREIN ONE PAX WAS SCALDED BY AN OVERTURNED COFFEE POT, FL390 ON FREQ WITH ZMA.

Narrative: WHILE LEVEL AT FL390 WE WERE IN THE TOPS OF THE OVCST WITH NO TSTM ECHOES DISPLAYED ON THE RADAR. I HAD BEEN RANGING BACK AND FORTH ON THE SCALES AND USING VARIOUS TILTS. WE HAD BEEN IN LIGHT CHOP MOST OF THE FLT AND THE SEAT BELT SIGN WAS ON. WE HIT AN AREA OF MODERATE TURB FOR ABOUT 5 OR 10 SECONDS WITH SOME UP AND DOWN VECTORS, DURING WHICH WE DIDN'T GAIN OR LOSE MORE THAN 20 FT OR SO AND THE AUTOPLT DID NOT DISENGAGE. BUT DURING THIS TIME A SERVING CART APPARENTLY MOVED ENOUGH TO HIT A WOMAN'S ARM AND SPILL A POT OF COFFEE ON ANOTHER WOMAN. THE FLT CONTINUED TO HOUSTON AND EMTS AND PAX SVC REPRESENTATIVES WERE REQUESTED TO MEET THE FLT. ONE DECISION THAT I MADE THAT IMPACTED THE EVENT WAS TO ALLOW THE FLT ATTENDANTS TO DO A SVC. AT THE TIME THE TURB WAS ONLY LIGHT AND I FELT IT WAS SAFE TO DO SO. ONE THING I DID NOT DO, WHICH I SHOULD HAVE, WAS TO INFORM ATC OF THE TURB AND THE INJURIES, BUT THERE WAS A TIME LAG INVOLVED IN GETTING INFO FROM THE BACK OF THE ACFT. WHEN THINGS SETTLED DOWN I NEGLECTED TO DO SO.

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.

B767 PIC report of a short encounter with moderate turbulence wherein one passenger was scalded by an overturned coffee pot, FL390 on frequency with ZMA.