Flight attendant was injured by unsecured beverage cart during unexpected turbulence.

Attributes
ACN	307811
Time
Date	199506
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : atl
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 15000 msl bound upper : 15000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	307811
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	308294
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Flight was VMC at 14000 ft on heading to avoid WX (small line cumulo nimbus) we were switched from departure control to center frequency. Due to congestion on frequency took long time to check on and request heading to get south of line to proceed to destination. We were given climb to FL230 and heading to avoid WX. During climb and turn with radar on we clipped the top of a small cloud (that showed no return on radar) at about 15000 ft. We encountered light to moderate chop for about 10-15 seconds. Prior to entering cloud I turned on seat belt and advised 'a' line flight attendant to be seated. Within 45 seconds to 1 min, we encountered brief turbulence. Flight attendant in aft galley was in process of returning to her seat when beverage cart slid during turbulence and pinned her to aft galley bruising her left ankle. When given the heading change it appeared we would be in the clear and smooth the entire deviation, but as we cleared an echo return cloud we were not climbing fast enough to top small (no echo return) clouds. Possible factors: autoplt does not respond as fast nor turn as steep as hand flown. The first officer had reduced speed to increase climb rate prior to encounter.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT ATTENDANT WAS INJURED BY UNSECURED BEVERAGE CART DURING UNEXPECTED TURB.

Narrative: FLT WAS VMC AT 14000 FT ON HDG TO AVOID WX (SMALL LINE CUMULO NIMBUS) WE WERE SWITCHED FROM DEP CTL TO CTR FREQ. DUE TO CONGESTION ON FREQ TOOK LONG TIME TO CHK ON AND REQUEST HDG TO GET S OF LINE TO PROCEED TO DEST. WE WERE GIVEN CLB TO FL230 AND HDG TO AVOID WX. DURING CLB AND TURN WITH RADAR ON WE CLIPPED THE TOP OF A SMALL CLOUD (THAT SHOWED NO RETURN ON RADAR) AT ABOUT 15000 FT. WE ENCOUNTERED LIGHT TO MODERATE CHOP FOR ABOUT 10-15 SECONDS. PRIOR TO ENTERING CLOUD I TURNED ON SEAT BELT AND ADVISED 'A' LINE FLT ATTENDANT TO BE SEATED. WITHIN 45 SECONDS TO 1 MIN, WE ENCOUNTERED BRIEF TURB. FLT ATTENDANT IN AFT GALLEY WAS IN PROCESS OF RETURNING TO HER SEAT WHEN BEVERAGE CART SLID DURING TURB AND PINNED HER TO AFT GALLEY BRUISING HER L ANKLE. WHEN GIVEN THE HDG CHANGE IT APPEARED WE WOULD BE IN THE CLR AND SMOOTH THE ENTIRE DEV, BUT AS WE CLRED AN ECHO RETURN CLOUD WE WERE NOT CLBING FAST ENOUGH TO TOP SMALL (NO ECHO RETURN) CLOUDS. POSSIBLE FACTORS: AUTOPLT DOES NOT RESPOND AS FAST NOR TURN AS STEEP AS HAND FLOWN. THE FO HAD REDUCED SPD TO INCREASE CLB RATE PRIOR TO ENCOUNTER.

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.