Air carrier large transport over continental divide encounters severe clear air turbulence. Flight a...

Attributes
ACN	102320
Time
Date	198901
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : den
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 21500 msl bound upper : 23500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute airway : j116
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 7200
ASRS Report	102320
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 235 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	102321
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

During climbout from den on J116 en route to meeker we hit some severe turbulence at FL215-235. A F/a working in back end of aircraft was injured (cracked rib). Incident happened in clear air without warning. There were strong winds over the mountains and at the den airport but no reports of turbulence at that altitude on J116. The F/a's at the rear of the aircraft had just gotten up to start their cabin service. The injured F/a lost her balance and hit her rib cage on one of the seat armrests. I would like to see a better method for reporting severe turbulence, but I don't know who to accomplish it. Next time I will have the F/a's stay seated longer.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT OVER CONTINENTAL DIVIDE ENCOUNTERS SEVERE CLEAR AIR TURBULENCE. FLT ATTENDANT INJURED.

Narrative: DURING CLIMBOUT FROM DEN ON J116 ENRTE TO MEEKER WE HIT SOME SEVERE TURB AT FL215-235. A F/A WORKING IN BACK END OF ACFT WAS INJURED (CRACKED RIB). INCIDENT HAPPENED IN CLEAR AIR WITHOUT WARNING. THERE WERE STRONG WINDS OVER THE MOUNTAINS AND AT THE DEN ARPT BUT NO REPORTS OF TURB AT THAT ALT ON J116. THE F/A'S AT THE REAR OF THE ACFT HAD JUST GOTTEN UP TO START THEIR CABIN SERVICE. THE INJURED F/A LOST HER BALANCE AND HIT HER RIB CAGE ON ONE OF THE SEAT ARMRESTS. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A BETTER METHOD FOR REPORTING SEVERE TURB, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHO TO ACCOMPLISH IT. NEXT TIME I WILL HAVE THE F/A'S STAY SEATED LONGER.

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.

Air carrier large transport over continental divide encounters severe clear air turbulence. Flight attendant injured.