Narrative:

We were descending on the bradford three arrival to ord approaching newrk intersection. The radar showed some activity south off course. On the scope, a line of 3 or 4 cells, well defined, about the size of a pencil eraser (on the 80 mi range), painting green. Well south we saw lightning. Directly ahead, on the northern most side of the line, the radar showed 5-7 green dots. It was a very small undefined return. We were descending through 15000 ft and in the clear. Although it was night, because of the city lights, we could visually see the buildup in front of us. The top looked to be about 17000 ft. It was rather narrow and quite vertical, like a column. I asked the captain if he wanted to come left. He declined. I asked if he wanted me to situation the flight attendants down. He said he'd take care of it, and gave the 'prepare for landing' PA. We entered the buildup at 280 KTS and experienced sudden moderate to severe turbulence. The captain turned left as I asked approach for a left turn for WX. We were out of the turbulence in less than 10 seconds. The captain had me check with the flight attendants. I was told that the #2 flight attendant had hurt her ankle badly, and it was swelling fast. I relayed this to the captain. He had me radio ramp for the paramedics. I was busy with the rest of the checklist and approach duties and didn't realize, until the end of the flight, that I hadn't reported the turbulence to approach. I was off the radio to the flight attendants and company and am not sure if the captain reported it or not. Supplemental information from acn 624817: not known if dispatch and ATC were informed. Flight attendant was in the process of strapping in to jump seat and injured her left ankle and back. Paramedics met flight and recommended hospital visit for further evaluation. Flight services representative also met aircraft and planned to meet flight attendant at hospital.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 FLT CREW RPTED A FLT ATTENDANT WAS INJURED DURING A SUDDEN ONSET OF SEVERE TURB DURING APCH TO ORD.

Narrative: WE WERE DSNDING ON THE BRADFORD THREE ARR TO ORD APCHING NEWRK INTXN. THE RADAR SHOWED SOME ACTIVITY S OFF COURSE. ON THE SCOPE, A LINE OF 3 OR 4 CELLS, WELL DEFINED, ABOUT THE SIZE OF A PENCIL ERASER (ON THE 80 MI RANGE), PAINTING GREEN. WELL S WE SAW LIGHTNING. DIRECTLY AHEAD, ON THE NORTHERN MOST SIDE OF THE LINE, THE RADAR SHOWED 5-7 GREEN DOTS. IT WAS A VERY SMALL UNDEFINED RETURN. WE WERE DSNDING THROUGH 15000 FT AND IN THE CLR. ALTHOUGH IT WAS NIGHT, BECAUSE OF THE CITY LIGHTS, WE COULD VISUALLY SEE THE BUILDUP IN FRONT OF US. THE TOP LOOKED TO BE ABOUT 17000 FT. IT WAS RATHER NARROW AND QUITE VERT, LIKE A COLUMN. I ASKED THE CAPT IF HE WANTED TO COME L. HE DECLINED. I ASKED IF HE WANTED ME TO SIT THE FLT ATTENDANTS DOWN. HE SAID HE'D TAKE CARE OF IT, AND GAVE THE 'PREPARE FOR LNDG' PA. WE ENTERED THE BUILDUP AT 280 KTS AND EXPERIENCED SUDDEN MODERATE TO SEVERE TURB. THE CAPT TURNED L AS I ASKED APCH FOR A L TURN FOR WX. WE WERE OUT OF THE TURB IN LESS THAN 10 SECONDS. THE CAPT HAD ME CHK WITH THE FLT ATTENDANTS. I WAS TOLD THAT THE #2 FLT ATTENDANT HAD HURT HER ANKLE BADLY, AND IT WAS SWELLING FAST. I RELAYED THIS TO THE CAPT. HE HAD ME RADIO RAMP FOR THE PARAMEDICS. I WAS BUSY WITH THE REST OF THE CHKLIST AND APCH DUTIES AND DIDN'T REALIZE, UNTIL THE END OF THE FLT, THAT I HADN'T RPTED THE TURB TO APCH. I WAS OFF THE RADIO TO THE FLT ATTENDANTS AND COMPANY AND AM NOT SURE IF THE CAPT RPTED IT OR NOT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 624817: NOT KNOWN IF DISPATCH AND ATC WERE INFORMED. FLT ATTENDANT WAS IN THE PROCESS OF STRAPPING IN TO JUMP SEAT AND INJURED HER L ANKLE AND BACK. PARAMEDICS MET FLT AND RECOMMENDED HOSPITAL VISIT FOR FURTHER EVALUATION. FLT SVCS REPRESENTATIVE ALSO MET ACFT AND PLANNED TO MEET FLT ATTENDANT AT HOSPITAL.

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.