B757 encountered severe turbulence during approach to mco.

Attributes
ACN	586157
Time
Date	200306
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mco.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl single value : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Weather Elements	Turbulence
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mco.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 165 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 6018
ASRS Report	586157
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 15800 flight time type : 7000
ASRS Report	586149
Events
Anomaly	cabin event other inflight encounter : turbulence inflight encounter : weather
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

The flight was normal in all respects until approach into mco. The WX at our position was VFR although rain showers were in the area. No turbulence was predicted or reported for our arrival. Despite this we had taken the precautions of turning on the seat belt sign early, turned on the exterior lights to better see clouds and started slowing early. No intense rain showers were observed near us or even in the area. We proceeded into an area that promised only light rain and was the maximum distance from any moderate radar returns. Suddenly we hit severe turbulence. The duration was mere seconds and we again entered smooth air. I immediately called the cabin to determine the status of our passenger and crew. It was reported that we had injuries. We reported the turbulence to ATC and requested priority handling. The first officer reported the incident to our operations who coordination medical assistance for our arrival. One confirmed injury was sustained. The aircraft was returned to service the next morning after inspection.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURB DURING APCH TO MCO.

Narrative: THE FLT WAS NORMAL IN ALL RESPECTS UNTIL APCH INTO MCO. THE WX AT OUR POS WAS VFR ALTHOUGH RAIN SHOWERS WERE IN THE AREA. NO TURB WAS PREDICTED OR RPTED FOR OUR ARR. DESPITE THIS WE HAD TAKEN THE PRECAUTIONS OF TURNING ON THE SEAT BELT SIGN EARLY, TURNED ON THE EXTERIOR LIGHTS TO BETTER SEE CLOUDS AND STARTED SLOWING EARLY. NO INTENSE RAIN SHOWERS WERE OBSERVED NEAR US OR EVEN IN THE AREA. WE PROCEEDED INTO AN AREA THAT PROMISED ONLY LIGHT RAIN AND WAS THE MAXIMUM DISTANCE FROM ANY MODERATE RADAR RETURNS. SUDDENLY WE HIT SEVERE TURB. THE DURATION WAS MERE SECONDS AND WE AGAIN ENTERED SMOOTH AIR. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE CABIN TO DETERMINE THE STATUS OF OUR PAX AND CREW. IT WAS RPTED THAT WE HAD INJURIES. WE RPTED THE TURB TO ATC AND REQUESTED PRIORITY HANDLING. THE FO RPTED THE INCIDENT TO OUR OPS WHO COORD MEDICAL ASSISTANCE FOR OUR ARR. ONE CONFIRMED INJURY WAS SUSTAINED. THE ACFT WAS RETURNED TO SVC THE NEXT MORNING AFTER INSPECTION.

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.