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A DC10 aircraft encountered moderate turbulence at FL360. The flight conditions were smooth until the turbulence when three crew members and two passenger were injured.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 787673 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200805 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : zoa.artcc |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl single value : 36000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zoa.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | DC-10 30 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Route In Use | enroute : pacific |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 136 flight time total : 3181 flight time type : 1703 |
| ASRS Report | 787673 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : turbulence inflight encounter : weather |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Weather Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Ambiguous |
Narrative:
At approximately XA30Z at FL360 we encountered moderate turbulence. Ride had been smooth for the whole flight and the seat belt sign was off. There was some thunderstorm activity in the area and the radar indicated a cell about 30 mi south of the aircraft. I would estimate the tops of that cell to be around 28000-30000 ft. Some towering cumulus were seen in the area but the ride was smooth. The lead flight attendant was in the flight deck. We encountered an area of higher clouds but the radar did not indicate any activity. Within a few seconds we felt an initial bump followed by moderate turbulence and the seat belt sign was turned on. The lead flight attendant took a seat in the observer's seat. The turbulence lasted only a few seconds. Three crew members were injured as well as 2 passenger. Turbulence is a factor to be considered when operating in the area described. Although the ride was smooth; more consideration should have been given to turning the seat belt sign on sooner.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A DC10 ACFT ENCOUNTERED MODERATE TURB AT FL360. THE FLT CONDITIONS WERE SMOOTH UNTIL THE TURB WHEN THREE CREW MEMBERS AND TWO PAX WERE INJURED.
Narrative: AT APPROX XA30Z AT FL360 WE ENCOUNTERED MODERATE TURB. RIDE HAD BEEN SMOOTH FOR THE WHOLE FLT AND THE SEAT BELT SIGN WAS OFF. THERE WAS SOME TSTM ACTIVITY IN THE AREA AND THE RADAR INDICATED A CELL ABOUT 30 MI S OF THE ACFT. I WOULD ESTIMATE THE TOPS OF THAT CELL TO BE AROUND 28000-30000 FT. SOME TOWERING CUMULUS WERE SEEN IN THE AREA BUT THE RIDE WAS SMOOTH. THE LEAD FLT ATTENDANT WAS IN THE FLT DECK. WE ENCOUNTERED AN AREA OF HIGHER CLOUDS BUT THE RADAR DID NOT INDICATE ANY ACTIVITY. WITHIN A FEW SECONDS WE FELT AN INITIAL BUMP FOLLOWED BY MODERATE TURB AND THE SEAT BELT SIGN WAS TURNED ON. THE LEAD FLT ATTENDANT TOOK A SEAT IN THE OBSERVER'S SEAT. THE TURB LASTED ONLY A FEW SECONDS. THREE CREW MEMBERS WERE INJURED AS WELL AS 2 PAX. TURB IS A FACTOR TO BE CONSIDERED WHEN OPERATING IN THE AREA DESCRIBED. ALTHOUGH THE RIDE WAS SMOOTH; MORE CONSIDERATION SHOULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO TURNING THE SEAT BELT SIGN ON SOONER.
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.