<< >> NASA ASRS Report 432520, March 1999

An air carrier B757 flight crew reports that an unexpected turbulence encounter caused an injury to one of the cabin attendants.

Attributes
ACN	432520
Time
Date	199903
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : lenux
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl single value : 41000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	Turbulence
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : mmid.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	432520
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	cabin event other inflight encounter : turbulence
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : cab 3
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

While flying in smooth air at FL410 just prior to lenux intersection at mach .786, we encountered a momentary amount of moderate turbulence. The nearest clouds were some small cumulus clouds about 20-30 mi to the northwest. The wind was out of the west at about 40-50 KTS. It did not last, but 20-30 seconds and there was no up- or downdraft. It felt like jet wash. A few moments later, I was advised that the passenger were ok, but that a flight attendant, who was in the aft galley, had injured her back and elbow. I notified dispatch via ACARS and entered an item in the log. We asked to have a flight attendant supervisor meet the aircraft and he did. There seemed to be no damage to the aircraft and the autoplt had not disconnected. All of the crew did an excellent job and the flight attendant was very frightened, but except for some back pain seemed ok.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR B757 FLC RPTS THAT AN UNEXPECTED TURB ENCOUNTER CAUSED AN INJURY TO ONE OF THE CABIN ATTENDANTS.

Narrative: WHILE FLYING IN SMOOTH AIR AT FL410 JUST PRIOR TO LENUX INTXN AT MACH .786, WE ENCOUNTERED A MOMENTARY AMOUNT OF MODERATE TURB. THE NEAREST CLOUDS WERE SOME SMALL CUMULUS CLOUDS ABOUT 20-30 MI TO THE NW. THE WIND WAS OUT OF THE W AT ABOUT 40-50 KTS. IT DID NOT LAST, BUT 20-30 SECONDS AND THERE WAS NO UP- OR DOWNDRAFT. IT FELT LIKE JET WASH. A FEW MOMENTS LATER, I WAS ADVISED THAT THE PAX WERE OK, BUT THAT A FLT ATTENDANT, WHO WAS IN THE AFT GALLEY, HAD INJURED HER BACK AND ELBOW. I NOTIFIED DISPATCH VIA ACARS AND ENTERED AN ITEM IN THE LOG. WE ASKED TO HAVE A FLT ATTENDANT SUPVR MEET THE ACFT AND HE DID. THERE SEEMED TO BE NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT AND THE AUTOPLT HAD NOT DISCONNECTED. ALL OF THE CREW DID AN EXCELLENT JOB AND THE FLT ATTENDANT WAS VERY FRIGHTENED, BUT EXCEPT FOR SOME BACK PAIN SEEMED OK.

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.