Air taxi cargo flight encounters jolt of severe turbulence. Pilot knocked unconscious.

Attributes
ACN	252970
Time
Date	199309
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : san airport : sat
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6500 msl bound upper : 6500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 3800 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	252970
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

In cruise flight en route to san antonio, tx, from harlingen, tx, I was enjoying a normal flight on a nice VFR day. While en route with the autoplt engaged, the last I recall was dialing up sat VOR/DME about 60 mi out. My ground speed was approximately 180 KTS. I awoke 5.8 mi north of sat VOR at 6500 ft. To the best of my recollection I had encountered light chop and had just encountered a severe area of what must have been clear air turbulence. My seat belt was not as tight as it should have been and when encountering the turbulence, I was thrown up against the ceiling of the aircraft striking my head on the overhead console. I am sure this is what happened, because when I regained consciousness, I had a small gash on my forehead with blood on my face. The ceiling of sat arsa is 4800 ft MSL but since I was in controled airspace, I thought I would pass this on. Moral of the story: keep that seat belt tight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AIR TAXI CARGO FLT ENCOUNTERS JOLT OF SEVERE TURB. PLT KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS.

Narrative: IN CRUISE FLT ENRTE TO SAN ANTONIO, TX, FROM HARLINGEN, TX, I WAS ENJOYING A NORMAL FLT ON A NICE VFR DAY. WHILE ENRTE WITH THE AUTOPLT ENGAGED, THE LAST I RECALL WAS DIALING UP SAT VOR/DME ABOUT 60 MI OUT. MY GND SPD WAS APPROX 180 KTS. I AWOKE 5.8 MI N OF SAT VOR AT 6500 FT. TO THE BEST OF MY RECOLLECTION I HAD ENCOUNTERED LIGHT CHOP AND HAD JUST ENCOUNTERED A SEVERE AREA OF WHAT MUST HAVE BEEN CLR AIR TURB. MY SEAT BELT WAS NOT AS TIGHT AS IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN AND WHEN ENCOUNTERING THE TURB, I WAS THROWN UP AGAINST THE CEILING OF THE ACFT STRIKING MY HEAD ON THE OVERHEAD CONSOLE. I AM SURE THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED, BECAUSE WHEN I REGAINED CONSCIOUSNESS, I HAD A SMALL GASH ON MY FOREHEAD WITH BLOOD ON MY FACE. THE CEILING OF SAT ARSA IS 4800 FT MSL BUT SINCE I WAS IN CTLED AIRSPACE, I THOUGHT I WOULD PASS THIS ON. MORAL OF THE STORY: KEEP THAT SEAT BELT TIGHT.

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.