Large transport crew hit moderate turbulence on descent into rno.

Attributes
ACN	425981
Time
Date	199901
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fmg airport : rno
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 15000 msl bound upper : 15000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 21000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	425981
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	426106
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

30 mi from airport at 16000 ft clear air, field in sight, began descent to 11500 ft, passing 15000 ft encountered moderated turbulence. Because of an airmet and strong winds across the sierras, I turned on the seat belt sign 15 mins earlier, when leaving FL310, and told the passenger to be seated, with belts fastened, because of a chance of bumps on descent. Apparently some of the passenger didn't pull them tight and hit their heads. Supplemental information from acn 426106: while in-flight we encountered moderate turbulence and a few passenger that didn't have their seat belts fastened tight enough hit their heads. The fasten seat belt sign was on however, because there was an airmet for moderate turbulence, we also advised the passenger of possible turbulence in the descent into rno.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT CREW HIT MODERATE TURB ON DSCNT INTO RNO.

Narrative: 30 MI FROM ARPT AT 16000 FT CLR AIR, FIELD IN SIGHT, BEGAN DSCNT TO 11500 FT, PASSING 15000 FT ENCOUNTERED MODERATED TURB. BECAUSE OF AN AIRMET AND STRONG WINDS ACROSS THE SIERRAS, I TURNED ON THE SEAT BELT SIGN 15 MINS EARLIER, WHEN LEAVING FL310, AND TOLD THE PAX TO BE SEATED, WITH BELTS FASTENED, BECAUSE OF A CHANCE OF BUMPS ON DSCNT. APPARENTLY SOME OF THE PAX DIDN'T PULL THEM TIGHT AND HIT THEIR HEADS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 426106: WHILE INFLT WE ENCOUNTERED MODERATE TURB AND A FEW PAX THAT DIDN'T HAVE THEIR SEAT BELTS FASTENED TIGHT ENOUGH HIT THEIR HEADS. THE FASTEN SEAT BELT SIGN WAS ON HOWEVER, BECAUSE THERE WAS AN AIRMET FOR MODERATE TURB, WE ALSO ADVISED THE PAX OF POSSIBLE TURB IN THE DSCNT INTO RNO.

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.