Narrative:

On descent into dtw, we encountered occasional moderate turbulence, as we passed between imbedded cells on the arrival routing into dtw. 4 of our flight attendants were still working in the aft galley of the B747-400 and were knocked to the floor. Synopsis: as we passed FL180, the 'prepare for landing' announcement was made. The descent checklist and approach checklists were completed. A heading correction, left of course, was made by the PF (first officer) as a comment was made regarding the cell at 1 O'clock turning red on the radar screen. We encountered approximately 30-45 seconds of moderate turbulence. It was during this time that the flight attendants fell in the aft galley and were injured. There was no aircraft damage. In retrospect, I should have instructed the off-duty flight crew, which were in the cockpit jump seats, to make an earlier PA to the cabin regarding possible turbulence. Between adjusting the radar, talking with approach control, frequency changes, and completing checklists between FL180 and 12000 ft, not enough lead time was given to the crew. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated that all four flight attendant's were injured, but none serious enough for paramedics to meet the flight. Two of the four flight attendant's were thrown on top of each other. One of them had just returned from an occupational (turbulence) injury time off, and was really upset and scared. The reporter said that his lesson was learned the hard way, ie, to have had the relief pilots make the safety landing announcement a lot sooner. The cell took them by surprise, and before they could warn the cabin crew, the turbulence was over.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT RPT, B747-400. ON APCH TO DTW, ENCOUNTERED A CELL OF TURB. 4 CABIN ATTENDANTS WERE INJURED AND SCARED. CAPT FEELS HE SHOULD HAVE HAD RELIEF PLTS MAKE EARLIER ANNOUNCEMENT.

Narrative: ON DSCNT INTO DTW, WE ENCOUNTERED OCCASIONAL MODERATE TURB, AS WE PASSED BTWN IMBEDDED CELLS ON THE ARR ROUTING INTO DTW. 4 OF OUR FLT ATTENDANTS WERE STILL WORKING IN THE AFT GALLEY OF THE B747-400 AND WERE KNOCKED TO THE FLOOR. SYNOPSIS: AS WE PASSED FL180, THE 'PREPARE FOR LNDG' ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE. THE DSCNT CHKLIST AND APCH CHKLISTS WERE COMPLETED. A HDG CORRECTION, L OF COURSE, WAS MADE BY THE PF (FO) AS A COMMENT WAS MADE REGARDING THE CELL AT 1 O'CLOCK TURNING RED ON THE RADAR SCREEN. WE ENCOUNTERED APPROX 30-45 SECONDS OF MODERATE TURB. IT WAS DURING THIS TIME THAT THE FLT ATTENDANTS FELL IN THE AFT GALLEY AND WERE INJURED. THERE WAS NO ACFT DAMAGE. IN RETROSPECT, I SHOULD HAVE INSTRUCTED THE OFF-DUTY FLC, WHICH WERE IN THE COCKPIT JUMP SEATS, TO MAKE AN EARLIER PA TO THE CABIN REGARDING POSSIBLE TURB. BTWN ADJUSTING THE RADAR, TALKING WITH APCH CTL, FREQ CHANGES, AND COMPLETING CHKLISTS BTWN FL180 AND 12000 FT, NOT ENOUGH LEAD TIME WAS GIVEN TO THE CREW. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THAT ALL FOUR FA'S WERE INJURED, BUT NONE SERIOUS ENOUGH FOR PARAMEDICS TO MEET THE FLT. TWO OF THE FOUR FA'S WERE THROWN ON TOP OF EACH OTHER. ONE OF THEM HAD JUST RETURNED FROM AN OCCUPATIONAL (TURB) INJURY TIME OFF, AND WAS REALLY UPSET AND SCARED. THE RPTR SAID THAT HIS LESSON WAS LEARNED THE HARD WAY, IE, TO HAVE HAD THE RELIEF PLTS MAKE THE SAFETY LNDG ANNOUNCEMENT A LOT SOONER. THE CELL TOOK THEM BY SURPRISE, AND BEFORE THEY COULD WARN THE CABIN CREW, THE TURB WAS OVER.

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.