<< >> NASA ASRS Report 310646, July 1995

Altitude deviation altitude excursion -- air carrier hits severe turbulence resulting in altitude excursions, injuries and return to the departure airport.

Attributes
ACN	310646
Time
Date	199507
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mia
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 32900 msl bound upper : 33300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zma
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : other oceanic enroute : atlantic
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	310646
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter other other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : regained aircraft control
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

About 15 mins after level off at FL330,the flight encountered a severe turbulence event which lasted for 3-5 seconds. Aircraft was at .78 mach with autoplt engaged and the seatbelt sign on. Radar was working correctly with only WX noted well south of course. Aircraft went quickly up to 33300 ft. Then back to 32900 ft. Autoplt automatically disconnected and first officer made a manual level off at FL330. No other turbulence was noted at this altitude. After conferring with the purser, he indicated that several passenger and flight attendants were injured. Captain went to the cabin to access the situation. Injuries indicated that a return to miami and a call for paramedics would be required. Landing was uneventful and ambulances were awaiting aircraft upon gate arrival.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV ALT EXCURSION -- ACR HITS SEVERE TURB RESULTING IN ALT EXCURSIONS, INJURIES AND RETURN TO THE DEP ARPT.

Narrative: ABOUT 15 MINS AFTER LEVEL OFF AT FL330,THE FLT ENCOUNTERED A SEVERE TURB EVENT WHICH LASTED FOR 3-5 SECONDS. ACFT WAS AT .78 MACH WITH AUTOPLT ENGAGED AND THE SEATBELT SIGN ON. RADAR WAS WORKING CORRECTLY WITH ONLY WX NOTED WELL S OF COURSE. ACFT WENT QUICKLY UP TO 33300 FT. THEN BACK TO 32900 FT. AUTOPLT AUTOMATICALLY DISCONNECTED AND FO MADE A MANUAL LEVEL OFF AT FL330. NO OTHER TURB WAS NOTED AT THIS ALT. AFTER CONFERRING WITH THE PURSER, HE INDICATED THAT SEVERAL PAX AND FLT ATTENDANTS WERE INJURED. CAPT WENT TO THE CABIN TO ACCESS THE SIT. INJURIES INDICATED THAT A RETURN TO MIAMI AND A CALL FOR PARAMEDICS WOULD BE REQUIRED. LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL AND AMBULANCES WERE AWAITING ACFT UPON GATE ARR.

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.