Air carrier flight crew encountered moderate to severe turbulence on descent and approach into dca. ...

Attributes
ACN	777836
Time
Date	200803
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca.airport
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl single value : 16000
Environment
Weather Elements	Turbulence
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dca.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
ASRS Report	777836
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : turbulence
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : 2
Resolutory Action	flight crew : regained aircraft control
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Environmental Factor

Narrative:

On the eldee arrival coming into dca; we encountered moderate to severe turbulence for approximately 25 mi. We saw some benign looking clouds and the captain had instructed the flight attendants to clean up early because there was gusty conditions forecasted and it could be bumpy. The flight attendant #1 was seated and flight attendant #2 and flight attendant #4 were just finishing up when we got into the turbulent air. We were cleared to 15000 ft at doccs; 250 KTS -- we ended up at 13700 ft and off the arrival. ATC was calling us; I told them we were experiencing moderate to severe turbulence and I'd let them know when we were in control again. At one point it looked like we were out of the turbulence and I was able to communication; but it started again before I was able to switch radios when they wanted us to. Once clear; ATC cleared us to wzzrd at 14000 ft where we picked up the rest of the arrival and landed via the river visual at dca. The captain talked to the flight attendants; but the situation in the cabin was unclr so we decided the best course of action was to get the airplane on the ground. I told ATC what happened. EMS met us at the gate. Two flight attendants and 1 passenger were injured. The aircraft was taken OTS. In hindsight; I should have declared an emergency; but we were already within sight of the field and ATC knew what happened.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLT CREW ENCOUNTERED MODERATE TO SEVERE TURBULENCE ON DESCENT AND APPROACH INTO DCA. EMS MET THE AIRCRAFT AND TRANSPORTED TWO FLT ATTENDANTS AND ONE PASSENGER TO THE HOSPITAL. AIRCRAFT GROUNDED FOR INSPECTION.

Narrative: ON THE ELDEE ARR COMING INTO DCA; WE ENCOUNTERED MODERATE TO SEVERE TURB FOR APPROX 25 MI. WE SAW SOME BENIGN LOOKING CLOUDS AND THE CAPT HAD INSTRUCTED THE FLT ATTENDANTS TO CLEAN UP EARLY BECAUSE THERE WAS GUSTY CONDITIONS FORECASTED AND IT COULD BE BUMPY. THE FLT ATTENDANT #1 WAS SEATED AND FLT ATTENDANT #2 AND FLT ATTENDANT #4 WERE JUST FINISHING UP WHEN WE GOT INTO THE TURBULENT AIR. WE WERE CLRED TO 15000 FT AT DOCCS; 250 KTS -- WE ENDED UP AT 13700 FT AND OFF THE ARR. ATC WAS CALLING US; I TOLD THEM WE WERE EXPERIENCING MODERATE TO SEVERE TURB AND I'D LET THEM KNOW WHEN WE WERE IN CTL AGAIN. AT ONE POINT IT LOOKED LIKE WE WERE OUT OF THE TURB AND I WAS ABLE TO COM; BUT IT STARTED AGAIN BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO SWITCH RADIOS WHEN THEY WANTED US TO. ONCE CLR; ATC CLRED US TO WZZRD AT 14000 FT WHERE WE PICKED UP THE REST OF THE ARR AND LANDED VIA THE RIVER VISUAL AT DCA. THE CAPT TALKED TO THE FLT ATTENDANTS; BUT THE SITUATION IN THE CABIN WAS UNCLR SO WE DECIDED THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION WAS TO GET THE AIRPLANE ON THE GND. I TOLD ATC WHAT HAPPENED. EMS MET US AT THE GATE. TWO FLT ATTENDANTS AND 1 PAX WERE INJURED. THE ACFT WAS TAKEN OTS. IN HINDSIGHT; I SHOULD HAVE DECLARED AN EMER; BUT WE WERE ALREADY WITHIN SIGHT OF THE FIELD AND ATC KNEW WHAT HAPPENED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.

Air carrier flight crew encountered moderate to severe turbulence on descent and approach into dca. EMS met the aircraft and transported two flight attendants and one passenger to the hospital. Aircraft grounded for inspection.