Narrative:

The flight plan called for a cruise altitude of FL410. However, I had climbed to FL430 to try to stay above a stratus layer. The seat belt sign had remained on most of the flight due to intermittent light turbulence. We entered the stratus layer about 7/8 mins prior to encountering severe turbulence. The radar was showing thunderstorms to the north and to the south of our position, but nothing along our route of flight. There was some light turbulence for about 4-5 seconds, then very quickly, severe turbulence. The first 10-15 seconds were the most severe. Then a gradual but fairly fast decrease in turbulence over about another 10 seconds. My first reaction was to decrease power so as not to exceed the positive or negative 'G' limits of the aircraft. The combination of severe turbulence and reduced power resulted in a loss of altitude of about 3000 ft. ATC was advised of our altitude loss. As soon as we exited the area of severe turbulence, ATC was again advised and I climbed back to FL430. After re-entering smooth air, I received word from the F/a that there were possible injuries to passenger. I sent the first officer to the passenger cabin to assess the situation. Upon his return to the cockpit and hearing his comments, I decided to make a precautionary stop at mem for the benefit of my passenger. At no time was I concerned over a lack of integrity of my aircraft due to turbulence. Supplemental information from acn 177520: no other carrier had complained of anything more than light to occasionally bad turbulence. Medical personnel were standing by and treated and xferred our injured passenger to area hospitals. After a 6 hour inspection by company mechanics, the captain and I ferried the aircraft to clt.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WDB HIT SEVERE TURBULENCE AT FL430. ACFT LOST 3000 FT IN TURBULENCE. PASSENGERS INJURED AND ACFT DIVERTED TO ALTERNATE.

Narrative: THE FLT PLAN CALLED FOR A CRUISE ALT OF FL410. HOWEVER, I HAD CLBED TO FL430 TO TRY TO STAY ABOVE A STRATUS LAYER. THE SEAT BELT SIGN HAD REMAINED ON MOST OF THE FLT DUE TO INTERMITTENT LIGHT TURB. WE ENTERED THE STRATUS LAYER ABOUT 7/8 MINS PRIOR TO ENCOUNTERING SEVERE TURB. THE RADAR WAS SHOWING TSTMS TO THE N AND TO THE S OF OUR POS, BUT NOTHING ALONG OUR RTE OF FLT. THERE WAS SOME LIGHT TURB FOR ABOUT 4-5 SECS, THEN VERY QUICKLY, SEVERE TURB. THE FIRST 10-15 SECS WERE THE MOST SEVERE. THEN A GRADUAL BUT FAIRLY FAST DECREASE IN TURB OVER ABOUT ANOTHER 10 SECS. MY FIRST REACTION WAS TO DECREASE PWR SO AS NOT TO EXCEED THE POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE 'G' LIMITS OF THE ACFT. THE COMBINATION OF SEVERE TURB AND REDUCED PWR RESULTED IN A LOSS OF ALT OF ABOUT 3000 FT. ATC WAS ADVISED OF OUR ALT LOSS. AS SOON AS WE EXITED THE AREA OF SEVERE TURB, ATC WAS AGAIN ADVISED AND I CLBED BACK TO FL430. AFTER RE-ENTERING SMOOTH AIR, I RECEIVED WORD FROM THE F/A THAT THERE WERE POSSIBLE INJURIES TO PAX. I SENT THE F/O TO THE PAX CABIN TO ASSESS THE SITUATION. UPON HIS RETURN TO THE COCKPIT AND HEARING HIS COMMENTS, I DECIDED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY STOP AT MEM FOR THE BENEFIT OF MY PAX. AT NO TIME WAS I CONCERNED OVER A LACK OF INTEGRITY OF MY ACFT DUE TO TURB. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 177520: NO OTHER CARRIER HAD COMPLAINED OF ANYTHING MORE THAN LIGHT TO OCCASIONALLY BAD TURB. MEDICAL PERSONNEL WERE STANDING BY AND TREATED AND XFERRED OUR INJURED PAX TO AREA HOSPITALS. AFTER A 6 HR INSPECTION BY COMPANY MECHS, THE CAPT AND I FERRIED THE ACFT TO CLT.

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