Narrative:

While approaching roanoke (from the sector) at 10000', we were cleared to descend to 6000'. At about 29 mi from roa, I initiated the descent. The captain had informed the F/a to clear up the cabin and be seated due to possible turbulence at lower altitudes. During the initial descent, the intake deflectors were extended and the aircraft was slowed as we approached a scattered cloud layer (lenticular clouds seen in the area earlier in the day). Prior to 6000' we were cleared to continue to 3800'. At around 6000' I avoided some clouds but had to penetrate 1 cloud, encountering some moderate chop in the cloud. Once in the clear, we continued on an extended base toward the airport. During this time, we encountered a short period of moderate chop in which the aircraft dropped sharply. We continued to descend through 3800' onto a final for runway 33 at roanoke. The remainder of the approach and landing was uneventful. Although the F/a had told us that she was alright in the air, once on the ground she told us that she had been thrown around a bit during the last turbulence we hit. She had reached over to straighten out some magazines and the turbulence caught her bend over with her shoulder straps loosened (she did not work the next day). SIGMET 22 listing turbulence at the lower altitudes had been cancelled and there was no indication of turbulence in the roa area on the ATIS. Since the aircraft had been slowed to near turbulence penetration airspeed, I'm not sure what else could have been done. A report of turbulence would have been nice, but approach controller may not have received any from departing/arriving aircraft. Due to military duties, I have had a 6 yr break from stateside flying. It seems that there are a lot fewer ride reports or reports on turbulence, icing conditions, etc from aircraft now than there were a few yrs ago. There are still some intercompany reports, but reports to ATC facs and between aircraft over the same route are few and far between. Recommend renewed encouragement by ATC to get these reports to aircraft they are working. Currently some controllers seem to appreciate, others either ignore it or seem insulted.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MDT ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE ON DESCENT, FA INJURED. COMPLAINS ABOUT FLT CREWS NOT PASSING ON WX REPORTS TO ATC.

Narrative: WHILE APCHING ROANOKE (FROM THE SECTOR) AT 10000', WE WERE CLRED TO DSND TO 6000'. AT ABOUT 29 MI FROM ROA, I INITIATED THE DSCNT. THE CAPT HAD INFORMED THE F/A TO CLEAR UP THE CABIN AND BE SEATED DUE TO POSSIBLE TURB AT LOWER ALTS. DURING THE INITIAL DSCNT, THE INTAKE DEFLECTORS WERE EXTENDED AND THE ACFT WAS SLOWED AS WE APCHED A SCATTERED CLOUD LAYER (LENTICULAR CLOUDS SEEN IN THE AREA EARLIER IN THE DAY). PRIOR TO 6000' WE WERE CLRED TO CONTINUE TO 3800'. AT AROUND 6000' I AVOIDED SOME CLOUDS BUT HAD TO PENETRATE 1 CLOUD, ENCOUNTERING SOME MODERATE CHOP IN THE CLOUD. ONCE IN THE CLR, WE CONTINUED ON AN EXTENDED BASE TOWARD THE ARPT. DURING THIS TIME, WE ENCOUNTERED A SHORT PERIOD OF MODERATE CHOP IN WHICH THE ACFT DROPPED SHARPLY. WE CONTINUED TO DSND THROUGH 3800' ONTO A FINAL FOR RWY 33 AT ROANOKE. THE REMAINDER OF THE APCH AND LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL. ALTHOUGH THE F/A HAD TOLD US THAT SHE WAS ALRIGHT IN THE AIR, ONCE ON THE GND SHE TOLD US THAT SHE HAD BEEN THROWN AROUND A BIT DURING THE LAST TURB WE HIT. SHE HAD REACHED OVER TO STRAIGHTEN OUT SOME MAGAZINES AND THE TURB CAUGHT HER BEND OVER WITH HER SHOULDER STRAPS LOOSENED (SHE DID NOT WORK THE NEXT DAY). SIGMET 22 LISTING TURB AT THE LOWER ALTS HAD BEEN CANCELLED AND THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF TURB IN THE ROA AREA ON THE ATIS. SINCE THE ACFT HAD BEEN SLOWED TO NEAR TURB PENETRATION AIRSPD, I'M NOT SURE WHAT ELSE COULD HAVE BEEN DONE. A RPT OF TURB WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE, BUT APCH CTLR MAY NOT HAVE RECEIVED ANY FROM DEPARTING/ARRIVING ACFT. DUE TO MIL DUTIES, I HAVE HAD A 6 YR BREAK FROM STATESIDE FLYING. IT SEEMS THAT THERE ARE A LOT FEWER RIDE RPTS OR RPTS ON TURB, ICING CONDITIONS, ETC FROM ACFT NOW THAN THERE WERE A FEW YRS AGO. THERE ARE STILL SOME INTERCOMPANY RPTS, BUT RPTS TO ATC FACS AND BTWN ACFT OVER THE SAME ROUTE ARE FEW AND FAR BTWN. RECOMMEND RENEWED ENCOURAGEMENT BY ATC TO GET THESE RPTS TO ACFT THEY ARE WORKING. CURRENTLY SOME CTLRS SEEM TO APPRECIATE, OTHERS EITHER IGNORE IT OR SEEM INSULTED.

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