MD80 cabin attendant injuries during severe turbulence.

Attributes
ACN	536132
Time
Date	200201
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zkc.artcc
State Reference	KS
Altitude	msl bound lower : 29000 msl bound upper : 31000
Environment
Weather Elements	Turbulence
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty oversight : flight attendant in charge
Qualification	flight attendant : currently qualified flight attendant aircraft qualified on : 5
Experience	flight attendant time airline total : 13 flight attendant time total : 13 flight attendant time type : 98
ASRS Report	536132
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	cabin event other inflight encounter : turbulence
Independent Detector	other controllerb other flight crewa other other : 1
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Cabin Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor Weather
Primary Problem	Cabin Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Unexpected severe turbulence. Seatbelt sign illuminated. Just completed compliance checks. Aircraft began to drop (much like a roller coaster ride) and shake. This was sustained activity for at least 10 mins. Captain tried to find a smooth altitude from FL310-FL290, but moderate turbulence continued until approximately XA25. Aft aircraft inadvertent oxygen mask dropped. Beverage cart (which was in the process of being stowed) let the floor of aircraft several times tossing inserts and contents over several rows. #2 flight attendant sustained whiplash type injuries as did #4 and #1 flight attendants, as well as strained wrists while holding on to passenger arm rests. No passenger injured. Flight attendants continued on 3-DAY trip. Medical advised. Clashing jetstreams probably contributed to the incident. Communication between captain and crew was excellent. Captain reported crew and passenger advised of corrective action he was attempting to take. He also checked on flight attendant's condition several times as we made our way to smoother air. Supplemental information from acn 536390: unexpected turbulence occurred. Cart went airborne, flight attendants hit the floor. I crawled on floor to nearest empty seat to buckle up. Neck and back (maybe whiplash) discomfort occurred. My problem is with the company because they have not yet contacted me to see if I was ok. This is not the first time they have ignored us when we have had problems.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 CABIN ATTENDANT INJURIES DURING SEVERE TURB.

Narrative: UNEXPECTED SEVERE TURB. SEATBELT SIGN ILLUMINATED. JUST COMPLETED COMPLIANCE CHKS. ACFT BEGAN TO DROP (MUCH LIKE A ROLLER COASTER RIDE) AND SHAKE. THIS WAS SUSTAINED ACTIVITY FOR AT LEAST 10 MINS. CAPT TRIED TO FIND A SMOOTH ALT FROM FL310-FL290, BUT MODERATE TURB CONTINUED UNTIL APPROX XA25. AFT ACFT INADVERTENT OXYGEN MASK DROPPED. BEVERAGE CART (WHICH WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING STOWED) LET THE FLOOR OF ACFT SEVERAL TIMES TOSSING INSERTS AND CONTENTS OVER SEVERAL ROWS. #2 FLT ATTENDANT SUSTAINED WHIPLASH TYPE INJURIES AS DID #4 AND #1 FLT ATTENDANTS, AS WELL AS STRAINED WRISTS WHILE HOLDING ON TO PAX ARM RESTS. NO PAX INJURED. FLT ATTENDANTS CONTINUED ON 3-DAY TRIP. MEDICAL ADVISED. CLASHING JETSTREAMS PROBABLY CONTRIBUTED TO THE INCIDENT. COM BTWN CAPT AND CREW WAS EXCELLENT. CAPT RPTED CREW AND PAX ADVISED OF CORRECTIVE ACTION HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO TAKE. HE ALSO CHKED ON FLT ATTENDANT'S CONDITION SEVERAL TIMES AS WE MADE OUR WAY TO SMOOTHER AIR. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 536390: UNEXPECTED TURB OCCURRED. CART WENT AIRBORNE, FLT ATTENDANTS HIT THE FLOOR. I CRAWLED ON FLOOR TO NEAREST EMPTY SEAT TO BUCKLE UP. NECK AND BACK (MAYBE WHIPLASH) DISCOMFORT OCCURRED. MY PROB IS WITH THE COMPANY BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT YET CONTACTED ME TO SEE IF I WAS OK. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THEY HAVE IGNORED US WHEN WE HAVE HAD PROBS.

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.