Narrative:

We were at cruise 31000 ft, when we encountered turbulent WX. The seat belt sign was on. I reiterated by the PA for passenger to check their seat belts. The turbulence was getting progressively worst. I asked the flight attendants to take their seats. 5-10 seconds later, we encountered severe turbulence. It knocked us around. I was (had been) trying to secure galley to take my jump seat. I held on and was bracing myself with the help of the handle on the galley wall. I tried to stay calm. When we smoothed out some, I went to check on crew, passenger. The cabin was a mess. Thankfully, all passenger had their seat belts on. The beverage cart in coach had been turned to its side by the force of the turbulence. The flight attendants in the back had been tossed around, and had been thrown against the ceiling. 1 passenger trying to assist flight attendant, was forced back in seat by the drop, and smashed his hand on the armrest. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter said that he first felt a 'rumbling' under the plane and he intuitively knew that the turbulence was going to be bad, so he made the announcement for the flight attendants be seated immediately. Unfortunately, none could make it to their seats in time. 1 flight attendant in back had the cocktail cart fall on top of her and that's when the passenger got up to try and get the cart off of her and he was thrown. 1 man was in the lavatory in back when it happened and when he came out, he was totally blue, from the blue water being splashed all over him. All 4 flight attendants were injured and they were taken to a hospital, along with the injured passenger. The captain was very apologetic, saying that he didn't see it coming.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CABIN ATTENDANT RPT, B727-200, SJU-PHL. SEVERE TURB AT 31000 FT, 1 HR OUT OF SJU. 4 CABIN ATTENDANTS, 1 PAX INJURED AND TAKEN TO HOSPITAL IN PHL.

Narrative: WE WERE AT CRUISE 31000 FT, WHEN WE ENCOUNTERED TURBULENT WX. THE SEAT BELT SIGN WAS ON. I REITERATED BY THE PA FOR PAX TO CHK THEIR SEAT BELTS. THE TURB WAS GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WORST. I ASKED THE FLT ATTENDANTS TO TAKE THEIR SEATS. 5-10 SECONDS LATER, WE ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURB. IT KNOCKED US AROUND. I WAS (HAD BEEN) TRYING TO SECURE GALLEY TO TAKE MY JUMP SEAT. I HELD ON AND WAS BRACING MYSELF WITH THE HELP OF THE HANDLE ON THE GALLEY WALL. I TRIED TO STAY CALM. WHEN WE SMOOTHED OUT SOME, I WENT TO CHK ON CREW, PAX. THE CABIN WAS A MESS. THANKFULLY, ALL PAX HAD THEIR SEAT BELTS ON. THE BEVERAGE CART IN COACH HAD BEEN TURNED TO ITS SIDE BY THE FORCE OF THE TURB. THE FLT ATTENDANTS IN THE BACK HAD BEEN TOSSED AROUND, AND HAD BEEN THROWN AGAINST THE CEILING. 1 PAX TRYING TO ASSIST FLT ATTENDANT, WAS FORCED BACK IN SEAT BY THE DROP, AND SMASHED HIS HAND ON THE ARMREST. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR SAID THAT HE FIRST FELT A 'RUMBLING' UNDER THE PLANE AND HE INTUITIVELY KNEW THAT THE TURB WAS GOING TO BE BAD, SO HE MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THE FLT ATTENDANTS BE SEATED IMMEDIATELY. UNFORTUNATELY, NONE COULD MAKE IT TO THEIR SEATS IN TIME. 1 FLT ATTENDANT IN BACK HAD THE COCKTAIL CART FALL ON TOP OF HER AND THAT'S WHEN THE PAX GOT UP TO TRY AND GET THE CART OFF OF HER AND HE WAS THROWN. 1 MAN WAS IN THE LAVATORY IN BACK WHEN IT HAPPENED AND WHEN HE CAME OUT, HE WAS TOTALLY BLUE, FROM THE BLUE WATER BEING SPLASHED ALL OVER HIM. ALL 4 FLT ATTENDANTS WERE INJURED AND THEY WERE TAKEN TO A HOSPITAL, ALONG WITH THE INJURED PAX. THE CAPT WAS VERY APOLOGETIC, SAYING THAT HE DIDN'T SEE IT COMING.

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.