Narrative:

Approximately 80 NM nne of mgm VOR, we entered a thin cirrus- like cloud layer. We experienced 1 good jolt, that I would describe as moderate. Prior to this, and after, the ride was good, with intermittent light chop. Radar was on with nearest return 50 mi away towards mgm. Seat belt sign was on. A few mins alter, lead flight attendant came into cockpit and informed us of several injuries -- 4 passenger and 2 flight attendants. Lead was being assisted by our jump seat rider, a captain who is an emt, and a passenger registered nurse. Decision was made that divert wasn't necessary. We continued to our destination, fll, and were met by paramedics. These passenger injuries could have been avoided, if passenger paid attention to seatbelt sign. For the most part it is ignored totally by passenger. Supplemental information from acn 399468: on modified route as per center and dispatch from company. 2 flight attendants had to be assisted off of aircraft. 4 passenger had minor injuries. All injured did not have seatbelts on, despite warning sign on. Center supervisor, without approval and unknown to flight crew, classified as accident. Met by news media at fll and dtw. Not the worst I've been in -- worst as in worst turbulence both commercial and military. Negligence in those not following warning and fastening seatbelt as per instructions. Supplemental information from acn 399458: departed dtw normally with a proper release and WX briefing with all turbulence plots plotted, and discussed among the crew. The captain had given the flight attendants a detailed preflight briefing, including a discussion of turbulence forecasted along our route. Prior to the vxv VOR, ATC issued our flight a rerte clearance. Reclred the vxv 210 degree radial until receiving mgm then direct mgm direct cen direct tlh J41 pie fortl 3 fll, for WX and airspace required by ATC for aircraft inbound to atl. Dispatch was notified of the situation as was the fll station, and paramedics did greet the flight at the gate and assist those people with injuries. A postflt inspection was made by maintenance personnel as a precaution and statements were taken by an FAA inspector. The flight data recorder was pulled by the NTSB upon our return to dtw. No damage occurred to the aircraft. It was my observation that everything prior to and after the event was done properly and conservatively considering safety at all times and this was just one of those things that happened despite all precautions being taken.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727-200 ACFT IN CRUISE, EXPECTING POSSIBLE TURB WITH SEATBELT SIGN ON, ENCOUNTERED A JOLT OF TURB RESULTING IN INJURIES TO 2 FLT ATTENDANTS AND 4 PAX.

Narrative: APPROX 80 NM NNE OF MGM VOR, WE ENTERED A THIN CIRRUS- LIKE CLOUD LAYER. WE EXPERIENCED 1 GOOD JOLT, THAT I WOULD DESCRIBE AS MODERATE. PRIOR TO THIS, AND AFTER, THE RIDE WAS GOOD, WITH INTERMITTENT LIGHT CHOP. RADAR WAS ON WITH NEAREST RETURN 50 MI AWAY TOWARDS MGM. SEAT BELT SIGN WAS ON. A FEW MINS ALTER, LEAD FLT ATTENDANT CAME INTO COCKPIT AND INFORMED US OF SEVERAL INJURIES -- 4 PAX AND 2 FLT ATTENDANTS. LEAD WAS BEING ASSISTED BY OUR JUMP SEAT RIDER, A CAPT WHO IS AN EMT, AND A PAX REGISTERED NURSE. DECISION WAS MADE THAT DIVERT WASN'T NECESSARY. WE CONTINUED TO OUR DEST, FLL, AND WERE MET BY PARAMEDICS. THESE PAX INJURIES COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED, IF PAX PAID ATTN TO SEATBELT SIGN. FOR THE MOST PART IT IS IGNORED TOTALLY BY PAX. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 399468: ON MODIFIED RTE AS PER CTR AND DISPATCH FROM COMPANY. 2 FLT ATTENDANTS HAD TO BE ASSISTED OFF OF ACFT. 4 PAX HAD MINOR INJURIES. ALL INJURED DID NOT HAVE SEATBELTS ON, DESPITE WARNING SIGN ON. CTR SUPVR, WITHOUT APPROVAL AND UNKNOWN TO FLC, CLASSIFIED AS ACCIDENT. MET BY NEWS MEDIA AT FLL AND DTW. NOT THE WORST I'VE BEEN IN -- WORST AS IN WORST TURB BOTH COMMERCIAL AND MIL. NEGLIGENCE IN THOSE NOT FOLLOWING WARNING AND FASTENING SEATBELT AS PER INSTRUCTIONS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 399458: DEPARTED DTW NORMALLY WITH A PROPER RELEASE AND WX BRIEFING WITH ALL TURB PLOTS PLOTTED, AND DISCUSSED AMONG THE CREW. THE CAPT HAD GIVEN THE FLT ATTENDANTS A DETAILED PREFLT BRIEFING, INCLUDING A DISCUSSION OF TURB FORECASTED ALONG OUR RTE. PRIOR TO THE VXV VOR, ATC ISSUED OUR FLT A RERTE CLRNC. RECLRED THE VXV 210 DEG RADIAL UNTIL RECEIVING MGM THEN DIRECT MGM DIRECT CEN DIRECT TLH J41 PIE FORTL 3 FLL, FOR WX AND AIRSPACE REQUIRED BY ATC FOR ACFT INBOUND TO ATL. DISPATCH WAS NOTIFIED OF THE SIT AS WAS THE FLL STATION, AND PARAMEDICS DID GREET THE FLT AT THE GATE AND ASSIST THOSE PEOPLE WITH INJURIES. A POSTFLT INSPECTION WAS MADE BY MAINT PERSONNEL AS A PRECAUTION AND STATEMENTS WERE TAKEN BY AN FAA INSPECTOR. THE FLT DATA RECORDER WAS PULLED BY THE NTSB UPON OUR RETURN TO DTW. NO DAMAGE OCCURRED TO THE ACFT. IT WAS MY OBSERVATION THAT EVERYTHING PRIOR TO AND AFTER THE EVENT WAS DONE PROPERLY AND CONSERVATIVELY CONSIDERING SAFETY AT ALL TIMES AND THIS WAS JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT HAPPENED DESPITE ALL PRECAUTIONS BEING TAKEN.

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.