 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
B757 flight crew experiences what they describe as severe turbulence as they exit cumulus cloud on approach.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 742933 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200706 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : a80.tracon |
| State Reference | GA |
| Altitude | msl single value : 12000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Weather Elements | Turbulence |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : a80.tracon tower : zzz.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 284 flight time total : 12500 flight time type : 860 |
| ASRS Report | 742933 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 2000 |
| ASRS Report | 742757 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : turbulence inflight encounter : weather |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
During approach control vectors to atl at approximately 5 mi west of the atl airport; we noticed several small cumulus clouds ahead. The clouds were approximately 4000 ft from top to bottom. Radar indicated no precipitation within the clouds. Atl approach had no previous reports of turbulence in the area. We entered one of the small cumulus clouds at 12000 ft and 320 KTS. It took approximately 3 seconds to go through the cloud. While in the cloud; we experienced a very light bump of turbulence. As we exited the cloud; we experienced a severe downward jolt -- negative G -- severe turbulence. The severe turbulence was 1 jolt and done followed by a smooth ride on downwind to base to landing. The captain coordination paramedics to meet the aircraft at the gate. At the gate the paramedics examined 2 passenger and 2 flight attendants. The 2 passenger chose no further treatment and continued on to their destinations. 1 flight attendant was treated for a minor ankle sprain and the other had no injuries; but was shook up by the incident. Supplemental information from acn 742757: I try to avoid those clouds if possible; but summertime in the south; they are sometimes hard to avoid. I think that from now on; if there are cumulus clouds that can't be avoided; I will have the flight attendants situation down. Since there are often those clouds; I would have considered that 'overkill;' but this cloud surprised the hell out of me; and I don't want any more surprises with flight attendants standing.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B757 FLT CREW EXPERIENCES WHAT THEY DESCRIBE AS SEVERE TURB AS THEY EXIT CUMULUS CLOUD ON APCH.
Narrative: DURING APCH CTL VECTORS TO ATL AT APPROX 5 MI W OF THE ATL ARPT; WE NOTICED SEVERAL SMALL CUMULUS CLOUDS AHEAD. THE CLOUDS WERE APPROX 4000 FT FROM TOP TO BOTTOM. RADAR INDICATED NO PRECIP WITHIN THE CLOUDS. ATL APCH HAD NO PREVIOUS RPTS OF TURB IN THE AREA. WE ENTERED ONE OF THE SMALL CUMULUS CLOUDS AT 12000 FT AND 320 KTS. IT TOOK APPROX 3 SECONDS TO GO THROUGH THE CLOUD. WHILE IN THE CLOUD; WE EXPERIENCED A VERY LIGHT BUMP OF TURB. AS WE EXITED THE CLOUD; WE EXPERIENCED A SEVERE DOWNWARD JOLT -- NEGATIVE G -- SEVERE TURB. THE SEVERE TURB WAS 1 JOLT AND DONE FOLLOWED BY A SMOOTH RIDE ON DOWNWIND TO BASE TO LNDG. THE CAPT COORD PARAMEDICS TO MEET THE ACFT AT THE GATE. AT THE GATE THE PARAMEDICS EXAMINED 2 PAX AND 2 FLT ATTENDANTS. THE 2 PAX CHOSE NO FURTHER TREATMENT AND CONTINUED ON TO THEIR DESTS. 1 FLT ATTENDANT WAS TREATED FOR A MINOR ANKLE SPRAIN AND THE OTHER HAD NO INJURIES; BUT WAS SHOOK UP BY THE INCIDENT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 742757: I TRY TO AVOID THOSE CLOUDS IF POSSIBLE; BUT SUMMERTIME IN THE S; THEY ARE SOMETIMES HARD TO AVOID. I THINK THAT FROM NOW ON; IF THERE ARE CUMULUS CLOUDS THAT CAN'T BE AVOIDED; I WILL HAVE THE FLT ATTENDANTS SIT DOWN. SINCE THERE ARE OFTEN THOSE CLOUDS; I WOULD HAVE CONSIDERED THAT 'OVERKILL;' BUT THIS CLOUD SURPRISED THE HELL OUT OF ME; AND I DON'T WANT ANY MORE SURPRISES WITH FLT ATTENDANTS STANDING.
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.