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A B737-300 encounters moderate to severe clear air turbulence near ewc, PA. Passenger behavior emotional trauma incapacitation personal injury creates need for diversion to alternate airport.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 351542 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199610 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : ewl |
| State Reference | PA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 24000 msl bound upper : 26000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zob |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-300 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | cruise other other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 2500 |
| ASRS Report | 351542 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter other other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other other : unspecified |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : exited adverse environment other |
| Consequence | other other Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Weather |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
Encountered severe clear air turbulence which resulted in minor injuries to the flight attendants and a couple of passenger. The turbulence was interesting in that we experienced almost no vertical loss but rather a violent rolling and yawing. Our flight was en route to phx from phl. Turbulence had been reported at the higher altitudes by other aircraft, so we flew at FL260. We encountered moderate to severe turbulence and then descended to FL240 where we experienced the same. We then descended to FL220 where a smooth ride was experienced. Because of the injuries to our crew and the fact that the passenger were badly shaken, we decided to divert to pit. One passenger in particular had been hysterical and gotten out of his seat, dragging a flight attendant to the floor when she attempted to render assistance. After the incident, he became catatonic and was causing us concern. An overweight landing procedure was necessary in pit which was followed by the appropriate aircraft inspection before we continued on to phx.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A B737-300 ENCOUNTERS MODERATE TO SEVERE CLR AIR TURB NEAR EWC, PA. PAX BEHAVIOR EMOTIONAL TRAUMA INCAPACITATION PERSONAL INJURY CREATES NEED FOR DIVERSION TO ALTERNATE ARPT.
Narrative: ENCOUNTERED SEVERE CLR AIR TURB WHICH RESULTED IN MINOR INJURIES TO THE FLT ATTENDANTS AND A COUPLE OF PAX. THE TURB WAS INTERESTING IN THAT WE EXPERIENCED ALMOST NO VERT LOSS BUT RATHER A VIOLENT ROLLING AND YAWING. OUR FLT WAS ENRTE TO PHX FROM PHL. TURB HAD BEEN RPTED AT THE HIGHER ALTS BY OTHER ACFT, SO WE FLEW AT FL260. WE ENCOUNTERED MODERATE TO SEVERE TURB AND THEN DSNDED TO FL240 WHERE WE EXPERIENCED THE SAME. WE THEN DSNDED TO FL220 WHERE A SMOOTH RIDE WAS EXPERIENCED. BECAUSE OF THE INJURIES TO OUR CREW AND THE FACT THAT THE PAX WERE BADLY SHAKEN, WE DECIDED TO DIVERT TO PIT. ONE PAX IN PARTICULAR HAD BEEN HYSTERICAL AND GOTTEN OUT OF HIS SEAT, DRAGGING A FLT ATTENDANT TO THE FLOOR WHEN SHE ATTEMPTED TO RENDER ASSISTANCE. AFTER THE INCIDENT, HE BECAME CATATONIC AND WAS CAUSING US CONCERN. AN OVERWT LNDG PROC WAS NECESSARY IN PIT WHICH WAS FOLLOWED BY THE APPROPRIATE ACFT INSPECTION BEFORE WE CONTINUED ON TO PHX.
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.