Narrative:

We were on our way to sat from ord. The ride was smooth with no indication of turbulence. The seatbelt sign was off. I was waiting for my first class passenger to finish eating, so I sat down on my jumpseat to wait. The first jolt hit, and it felt like the aircraft went up. I twisted around to grab my seatbelt and harness when we dropped 400 ft. 6 passenger initially complained of injuries, 2 hit the ceiling. 1 was in the lavatory, and the other had just come out of the lavatory. The beverage cart also hit the ceiling and turned over. The passenger that were belted in did not come out of their seats. The unbelted ones were thrown about, but managed to hang onto seats, and buckled up after we made PA announcements to buckle up and stay seated. I believe the seatbelt sign staying on at all times would help cut down on clear air turbulence injuries to passenger. As a flight attendant, we should have clear access to our jumpseats at all times. Our galleys are not designed to provide adequate access and optimum service. Our jumpseats are often blocked by beverage and meal carts. Also, having beverage carts that work properly would cut down on injuries, as the brakes often don't work, and wheels don't turn, so it is difficult to park them at an angle during turbulence. We diverted to dfw, had paramedics meet flight, and switched aircraft. We then proceeded to sat.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN F100 FLT ATTENDANT IN CHARGE COMPLAINED THAT FLT ATTENDANTS DON'T ALWAYS HAVE QUICK ACCESS TO THEIR JUMPSEATS DURING SUDDEN ONSETS OF TURB.

Narrative: WE WERE ON OUR WAY TO SAT FROM ORD. THE RIDE WAS SMOOTH WITH NO INDICATION OF TURB. THE SEATBELT SIGN WAS OFF. I WAS WAITING FOR MY FIRST CLASS PAX TO FINISH EATING, SO I SAT DOWN ON MY JUMPSEAT TO WAIT. THE FIRST JOLT HIT, AND IT FELT LIKE THE ACFT WENT UP. I TWISTED AROUND TO GRAB MY SEATBELT AND HARNESS WHEN WE DROPPED 400 FT. 6 PAX INITIALLY COMPLAINED OF INJURIES, 2 HIT THE CEILING. 1 WAS IN THE LAVATORY, AND THE OTHER HAD JUST COME OUT OF THE LAVATORY. THE BEVERAGE CART ALSO HIT THE CEILING AND TURNED OVER. THE PAX THAT WERE BELTED IN DID NOT COME OUT OF THEIR SEATS. THE UNBELTED ONES WERE THROWN ABOUT, BUT MANAGED TO HANG ONTO SEATS, AND BUCKLED UP AFTER WE MADE PA ANNOUNCEMENTS TO BUCKLE UP AND STAY SEATED. I BELIEVE THE SEATBELT SIGN STAYING ON AT ALL TIMES WOULD HELP CUT DOWN ON CLR AIR TURB INJURIES TO PAX. AS A FLT ATTENDANT, WE SHOULD HAVE CLR ACCESS TO OUR JUMPSEATS AT ALL TIMES. OUR GALLEYS ARE NOT DESIGNED TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE ACCESS AND OPTIMUM SVC. OUR JUMPSEATS ARE OFTEN BLOCKED BY BEVERAGE AND MEAL CARTS. ALSO, HAVING BEVERAGE CARTS THAT WORK PROPERLY WOULD CUT DOWN ON INJURIES, AS THE BRAKES OFTEN DON'T WORK, AND WHEELS DON'T TURN, SO IT IS DIFFICULT TO PARK THEM AT AN ANGLE DURING TURB. WE DIVERTED TO DFW, HAD PARAMEDICS MEET FLT, AND SWITCHED ACFT. WE THEN PROCEEDED TO SAT.

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.