A B747 encounters severe turbulence while flying a pacific route 2 hours 30 mins out of nrt, japan.

Attributes
ACN	430457
Time
Date	199903
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zoa.artcc
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Weather Elements	Turbulence
Light	Night Daylight
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	430457
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	cabin event other inflight encounter : turbulence non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor Cabin Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

B747 flight en route nrt to msp on G344. Good ride for first 2 hours 30 mins of flight, even though company meteorology department was forecasting code 4-5 turbulence 1 hour 30 mins into flight. Traffic, 15 mins in front of us, reported a good ride, until about 168 degrees east when code 3 reported. Asked sfo commercial radio for climb to FL350 to put us above tropopause. Hit turbulence at 168 degrees 30 mins east, code 4-5. Climbed to FL350 after third call to commercial radio. Turbulence lasted no more than 2-3 mins. Seatbelt sign on. 2 flight attendants injured. 1 flight attendant asked to be seen by doctor after arrival at msp. No one should have been hurt. The injured flight attendant was working a duty free cart. When turbulence hit she was rammed by cart as she was strapping herself into jump seat. I was told by lead flight attendant that 1 passenger was coming out of lavatory and was told to situation back down in lavatory. Some passenger were also knocked to floor. All the flight attendants and passenger should have been buckled up. No one believes the seatbelt sign any more. I have learned to believe company meteorology department's forecast and not the flight's report in front of me, and make my own announcements for everyone to situation down -- including flight attendants and reinforce that every 10-15 mins even though the ride is smooth. A lot of passenger will be mad at me for keeping them in their seats for so long, but that way no one gets hurt.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B747 ENCOUNTERS SEVERE TURB WHILE FLYING A PACIFIC RTE 2 HRS 30 MINS OUT OF NRT, JAPAN.

Narrative: B747 FLT ENRTE NRT TO MSP ON G344. GOOD RIDE FOR FIRST 2 HRS 30 MINS OF FLT, EVEN THOUGH COMPANY METEOROLOGY DEPT WAS FORECASTING CODE 4-5 TURB 1 HR 30 MINS INTO FLT. TFC, 15 MINS IN FRONT OF US, RPTED A GOOD RIDE, UNTIL ABOUT 168 DEGS E WHEN CODE 3 RPTED. ASKED SFO COMMERCIAL RADIO FOR CLB TO FL350 TO PUT US ABOVE TROPOPAUSE. HIT TURB AT 168 DEGS 30 MINS E, CODE 4-5. CLBED TO FL350 AFTER THIRD CALL TO COMMERCIAL RADIO. TURB LASTED NO MORE THAN 2-3 MINS. SEATBELT SIGN ON. 2 FLT ATTENDANTS INJURED. 1 FLT ATTENDANT ASKED TO BE SEEN BY DOCTOR AFTER ARR AT MSP. NO ONE SHOULD HAVE BEEN HURT. THE INJURED FLT ATTENDANT WAS WORKING A DUTY FREE CART. WHEN TURB HIT SHE WAS RAMMED BY CART AS SHE WAS STRAPPING HERSELF INTO JUMP SEAT. I WAS TOLD BY LEAD FLT ATTENDANT THAT 1 PAX WAS COMING OUT OF LAVATORY AND WAS TOLD TO SIT BACK DOWN IN LAVATORY. SOME PAX WERE ALSO KNOCKED TO FLOOR. ALL THE FLT ATTENDANTS AND PAX SHOULD HAVE BEEN BUCKLED UP. NO ONE BELIEVES THE SEATBELT SIGN ANY MORE. I HAVE LEARNED TO BELIEVE COMPANY METEOROLOGY DEPT'S FORECAST AND NOT THE FLT'S RPT IN FRONT OF ME, AND MAKE MY OWN ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR EVERYONE TO SIT DOWN -- INCLUDING FLT ATTENDANTS AND REINFORCE THAT EVERY 10-15 MINS EVEN THOUGH THE RIDE IS SMOOTH. A LOT OF PAX WILL BE MAD AT ME FOR KEEPING THEM IN THEIR SEATS FOR SO LONG, BUT THAT WAY NO ONE GETS HURT.

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.