Widebody transport encounters severe turbulence. Flight attendant injuries.

Attributes
ACN	179615
Time
Date	199105
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : den
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 29000 msl bound upper : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdv
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time total : 16500 flight time type : 120
ASRS Report	179615
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

En route den to ord, flight encountered moderate to severe turbulence of short duration. 3 F/a's in aft galley area suffered injuries of varying degrees. At the time of the encounter, these appeared to be much more serious than they turned out to be. Based on information at the time and on recommendation of a doctor in attendance, I declared an emergency and diverted to oma. Emergency equipment met the aircraft and injured were taken to hospital. All 3 were checked and released that same evening. The first F/a was briefed on the ground in den to remain seated on departure until called by the cockpit crew. She was also briefed about possible thunderstorm activity further en route. After the incident, the ff/a did not recall the portion of the briefing to remain seated on departure--only the portion relating to possible en route thunderstorm activity. Had the F/a's remained seated, this incident would have been avoided. On widebody transport aircraft, it is impossible to know when the cabin crew is up. A possible solution to this and a backup to a remain seated briefing would be to have the ff/a advise the cockpit when they first leave their seats to begin service.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB ENCOUNTERS SEVERE TURBULENCE. FA INJURIES.

Narrative: ENRTE DEN TO ORD, FLT ENCOUNTERED MODERATE TO SEVERE TURB OF SHORT DURATION. 3 F/A'S IN AFT GALLEY AREA SUFFERED INJURIES OF VARYING DEGREES. AT THE TIME OF THE ENCOUNTER, THESE APPEARED TO BE MUCH MORE SERIOUS THAN THEY TURNED OUT TO BE. BASED ON INFO AT THE TIME AND ON RECOMMENDATION OF A DOCTOR IN ATTENDANCE, I DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED TO OMA. EMER EQUIP MET THE ACFT AND INJURED WERE TAKEN TO HOSPITAL. ALL 3 WERE CHKED AND RELEASED THAT SAME EVENING. THE FIRST F/A WAS BRIEFED ON THE GND IN DEN TO REMAIN SEATED ON DEP UNTIL CALLED BY THE COCKPIT CREW. SHE WAS ALSO BRIEFED ABOUT POSSIBLE TSTM ACTIVITY FURTHER ENRTE. AFTER THE INCIDENT, THE FF/A DID NOT RECALL THE PORTION OF THE BRIEFING TO REMAIN SEATED ON DEP--ONLY THE PORTION RELATING TO POSSIBLE ENRTE TSTM ACTIVITY. HAD THE F/A'S REMAINED SEATED, THIS INCIDENT WOULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED. ON WDB ACFT, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO KNOW WHEN THE CABIN CREW IS UP. A POSSIBLE SOLUTION TO THIS AND A BACKUP TO A REMAIN SEATED BRIEFING WOULD BE TO HAVE THE FF/A ADVISE THE COCKPIT WHEN THEY FIRST LEAVE THEIR SEATS TO BEGIN SVC.

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.