A B777 encountered severe turbulence injuring at least 2 flight attendants. Seatbelt sign was reluct...

Attributes
ACN	704547
Time
Date	200607
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zny.artcc
State Reference	US
Environment
Weather Elements	Turbulence
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B777 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Qualification	flight attendant : currently qualified flight attendant aircraft qualified on : 7
Experience	flight attendant time airline total : 8 flight attendant time total : 8 flight attendant time type : 60
ASRS Report	704547
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : turbulence
Independent Detector	other other : 1
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was seated at the jumpseat in the aft galley when suddenly we hit severe turbulence. The back of the plane shook so hard that inserts started to fly all over. Flight attendant #2 was in the galley too and she was thrown everywhere. The plane kept shaking even harder; I hit my back a couple times at the jumpseat. Flight attendant #3 was lying down in the aisle. The seatbelt sign was off the whole time and was just turned on because flight attendant #2 called the cockpit and asked them to turn the sign on. The cockpit told flight attendant #2 that the turbulence wasn't a big deal. When she heard that she explained to them the situation in the back of the plane. That she was hurt; I was hurt and the galley was a mess. After her explanation they turned the seatbelt sign on; but they asked her to call them back when we finished cleaning the galley; because they wanted to turn the seatbelt sign off. When we finished cleaning the galley; flight attendant #2 called the cockpit and they turned off the seatbelt sign. I think their action or decision with the seatbelt sign was inappropriate and could interfere with our safety. The chiller; ovens and the r-hand side coffee makers stop working with the turbulence in the aft galley.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B777 ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURB INJURING AT LEAST 2 FLT ATTENDANTS. SEATBELT SIGN WAS RELUCTANTLY TURNED ON DURING THE EVENT AT THE FLT ATTENDANT'S REQUEST.

Narrative: I WAS SEATED AT THE JUMPSEAT IN THE AFT GALLEY WHEN SUDDENLY WE HIT SEVERE TURB. THE BACK OF THE PLANE SHOOK SO HARD THAT INSERTS STARTED TO FLY ALL OVER. FLT ATTENDANT #2 WAS IN THE GALLEY TOO AND SHE WAS THROWN EVERYWHERE. THE PLANE KEPT SHAKING EVEN HARDER; I HIT MY BACK A COUPLE TIMES AT THE JUMPSEAT. FLT ATTENDANT #3 WAS LYING DOWN IN THE AISLE. THE SEATBELT SIGN WAS OFF THE WHOLE TIME AND WAS JUST TURNED ON BECAUSE FLT ATTENDANT #2 CALLED THE COCKPIT AND ASKED THEM TO TURN THE SIGN ON. THE COCKPIT TOLD FLT ATTENDANT #2 THAT THE TURB WASN'T A BIG DEAL. WHEN SHE HEARD THAT SHE EXPLAINED TO THEM THE SITUATION IN THE BACK OF THE PLANE. THAT SHE WAS HURT; I WAS HURT AND THE GALLEY WAS A MESS. AFTER HER EXPLANATION THEY TURNED THE SEATBELT SIGN ON; BUT THEY ASKED HER TO CALL THEM BACK WHEN WE FINISHED CLEANING THE GALLEY; BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO TURN THE SEATBELT SIGN OFF. WHEN WE FINISHED CLEANING THE GALLEY; FLT ATTENDANT #2 CALLED THE COCKPIT AND THEY TURNED OFF THE SEATBELT SIGN. I THINK THEIR ACTION OR DECISION WITH THE SEATBELT SIGN WAS INAPPROPRIATE AND COULD INTERFERE WITH OUR SAFETY. THE CHILLER; OVENS AND THE R-HAND SIDE COFFEE MAKERS STOP WORKING WITH THE TURB IN THE AFT GALLEY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.

A B777 encountered severe turbulence injuring at least 2 flight attendants. Seatbelt sign was reluctantly turned on during the event at the flight attendant's request.