A B737 encounters severe turbulence resulting in a cabin attendant injury.

Attributes
ACN	629545
Time
Date	200409
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : atl.vortac
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl single value : 39000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	Turbulence
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-700
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 184 flight time total : 18200 flight time type : 15000
ASRS Report	629545
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	cabin event other conflict : ground less severe inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : turbulence other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : regained aircraft control other
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Cabin Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

In level cruise flight at FL390 approximately 20 mi south of atl VOR, we were deviating to the west of a cell that was above our altitude. The wind at altitude was 220 degrees at 35 KTS. There were several smaller cells well below us and then, all of a sudden, the radar painted a red cell approximately 1 mi wide and 1 mi in front of us. It had to be climbing very fast! We then skipped over the top of that cell and the aircraft climbed to approximately FL394 and the stick shaker sounded momentarily as my first officer reached for the start switches then descended to FL386. This all took place in about 10-15 seconds. Afterwards first officer said that we had lost 45-50 KTS of airspeed. We had 33 passenger on board. The flight attendant X called and said the flight attendant Y was in the aft galley and a sprite can had hit her on the head and she bounced around the aft galley. She then fell to the floor and landed on her tailbone. Flight attendant X called back and said that flight attendant Y was requesting EMS care and would also need to be pulled from her trip. We used ACARS and arranged it with dispatch. Flight attendant Y walked off the aircraft and went to the doctor on her own. En route first officer and I discussed the turbulence and decided it was momentarily severe according to the aim. We made a logbook entry and maintenance did an inspection and found no damage.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737 ENCOUNTERS SEVERE TURB RESULTING IN A CABIN ATTENDANT INJURY.

Narrative: IN LEVEL CRUISE FLT AT FL390 APPROX 20 MI S OF ATL VOR, WE WERE DEVIATING TO THE W OF A CELL THAT WAS ABOVE OUR ALT. THE WIND AT ALT WAS 220 DEGS AT 35 KTS. THERE WERE SEVERAL SMALLER CELLS WELL BELOW US AND THEN, ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE RADAR PAINTED A RED CELL APPROX 1 MI WIDE AND 1 MI IN FRONT OF US. IT HAD TO BE CLBING VERY FAST! WE THEN SKIPPED OVER THE TOP OF THAT CELL AND THE ACFT CLBED TO APPROX FL394 AND THE STICK SHAKER SOUNDED MOMENTARILY AS MY FO REACHED FOR THE START SWITCHES THEN DSNDED TO FL386. THIS ALL TOOK PLACE IN ABOUT 10-15 SECONDS. AFTERWARDS FO SAID THAT WE HAD LOST 45-50 KTS OF AIRSPD. WE HAD 33 PAX ON BOARD. THE FLT ATTENDANT X CALLED AND SAID THE FLT ATTENDANT Y WAS IN THE AFT GALLEY AND A SPRITE CAN HAD HIT HER ON THE HEAD AND SHE BOUNCED AROUND THE AFT GALLEY. SHE THEN FELL TO THE FLOOR AND LANDED ON HER TAILBONE. FLT ATTENDANT X CALLED BACK AND SAID THAT FLT ATTENDANT Y WAS REQUESTING EMS CARE AND WOULD ALSO NEED TO BE PULLED FROM HER TRIP. WE USED ACARS AND ARRANGED IT WITH DISPATCH. FLT ATTENDANT Y WALKED OFF THE ACFT AND WENT TO THE DOCTOR ON HER OWN. ENRTE FO AND I DISCUSSED THE TURB AND DECIDED IT WAS MOMENTARILY SEVERE ACCORDING TO THE AIM. WE MADE A LOGBOOK ENTRY AND MAINT DID AN INSPECTION AND FOUND NO DAMAGE.

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.