Narrative:

The WX was cavu at night, no moon, stars visible, air smooth. At 50 northwest ground, we hit severe turbulence and gained 1000 ft within 10 seconds. The first officer and I saw a static discharge on the windshield and a puff of cloud. Nothing was indicating on the radar or out the window. The turbulence only lasted for 10 seconds and we returned immediately to smooth air and, with the autoplt now disconnected, returned to 39000 ft. ATC (piarco) was calling. We explained what happened and gave them the coordinates to pass to other aircraft on that airway. The seat belt sign had been off for about 2 hours in smooth air. Everyone was seated, most sleeping, except for 1 flight attendant working the rear galley. She was thrown to the floor and received minor bruises. She was examined by a doctor on board and later in the hospital at mia. Minor bruises. Flight landed ok in mia and checked ok by maintenance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CABIN INJURY CAUSED BY TURB.

Narrative: THE WX WAS CAVU AT NIGHT, NO MOON, STARS VISIBLE, AIR SMOOTH. AT 50 NW GND, WE HIT SEVERE TURB AND GAINED 1000 FT WITHIN 10 SECONDS. THE FO AND I SAW A STATIC DISCHARGE ON THE WINDSHIELD AND A PUFF OF CLOUD. NOTHING WAS INDICATING ON THE RADAR OR OUT THE WINDOW. THE TURB ONLY LASTED FOR 10 SECONDS AND WE RETURNED IMMEDIATELY TO SMOOTH AIR AND, WITH THE AUTOPLT NOW DISCONNECTED, RETURNED TO 39000 FT. ATC (PIARCO) WAS CALLING. WE EXPLAINED WHAT HAPPENED AND GAVE THEM THE COORDINATES TO PASS TO OTHER ACFT ON THAT AIRWAY. THE SEAT BELT SIGN HAD BEEN OFF FOR ABOUT 2 HRS IN SMOOTH AIR. EVERYONE WAS SEATED, MOST SLEEPING, EXCEPT FOR 1 FLT ATTENDANT WORKING THE REAR GALLEY. SHE WAS THROWN TO THE FLOOR AND RECEIVED MINOR BRUISES. SHE WAS EXAMINED BY A DOCTOR ON BOARD AND LATER IN THE HOSPITAL AT MIA. MINOR BRUISES. FLT LANDED OK IN MIA AND CHKED OK BY MAINT.

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.