Widebody transport aircraft encounters clear air turbulence. Passenger injuries result.

Attributes
ACN	114134
Time
Date	198906
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rmg
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 24000 msl bound upper : 24000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 190 flight time total : 24000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	114134
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	114308
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On descent encountered clear air turbulence. Injuries sustained by passenger. Very violent rolling occurred, similar to wind shears seen in simulator. Supplemental information from acn 114308: the descent was a result of encountering light chop at FL330 and being told by ATC that the ride was smooth at FL240. At the time the severe turbulence was encountered the seat belt sign had been on for some time. Recommendations: 1) ATC must issue sigmets on severe turbulence. 2) aircraft interiors (overhead bins) should have better latches to preclude opening in flight because of turbulence. 3) that when an in-flight movie is shown and the seat belt light is illuminated, the movie should be interrupted visually (automatically) and the seat belt caption should be illuminated on the screen along with the aural announcement.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB ACFT ENCOUNTERS CLEAR AIR TURBULENCE. PASSENGER INJURIES RESULT.

Narrative: ON DSCNT ENCOUNTERED CLEAR AIR TURBULENCE. INJURIES SUSTAINED BY PAX. VERY VIOLENT ROLLING OCCURRED, SIMILAR TO WIND SHEARS SEEN IN SIMULATOR. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FROM ACN 114308: THE DSCNT WAS A RESULT OF ENCOUNTERING LIGHT CHOP AT FL330 AND BEING TOLD BY ATC THAT THE RIDE WAS SMOOTH AT FL240. AT THE TIME THE SEVERE TURBULENCE WAS ENCOUNTERED THE SEAT BELT SIGN HAD BEEN ON FOR SOME TIME. RECOMMENDATIONS: 1) ATC MUST ISSUE SIGMETS ON SEVERE TURBULENCE. 2) ACFT INTERIORS (OVERHEAD BINS) SHOULD HAVE BETTER LATCHES TO PRECLUDE OPENING IN FLT BECAUSE OF TURBULENCE. 3) THAT WHEN AN INFLT MOVIE IS SHOWN AND THE SEAT BELT LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED, THE MOVIE SHOULD BE INTERRUPTED VISUALLY (AUTOMATICALLY) AND THE SEAT BELT CAPTION SHOULD BE ILLUMINATED ON THE SCREEN ALONG WITH THE AURAL ANNOUNCEMENT.

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.