A320 flight crew encounters moderate turbulence while in descent to MMMX.

Attributes
ACN	706627
Time
Date	200608
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mmmx.airport
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 16500 msl bound upper : 17000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : vacating altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	706627
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : turbulence
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather Cabin Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

We were on descent through 17000 ft heading direct to mateo VOR. The seatbelt sign was on and approach descent checklist was complete. Through 17000 ft we passed through a stratus cloud layer when we hit moderate turbulence for approximately 10 seconds. About 3 mins later the purser called and said her and some of the flight attendants were hurt. I told them that we would be on the ground in about 10 mins and asked if they needed medical to meet the airplane. She said no. I asked if there was anything that I could do for them and she said she didn't know. After a normal approach and landing and in the gate with the checklist complete; I went in the back to see how they were doing during deplaning. All flight attendants were upright and doing their jobs of seeing the passenger off. Once the passenger were gone I debriefed with the flight attendants and again offered to call medical. They then engaged in a debate as to whether they could fly home or not. XXX said she wanted to fly home. YYY acted unsure. He said he hurt his back and having experienced previous back injury wasn't sure if his present condition wouldn't worsen. The purser at ZZZ told the crew that she didn't think that they could perform their duties in case of emergency and suggested that they not fly.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 FLT CREW ENCOUNTERS MODERATE TURB WHILE IN DSCNT TO MMMX.

Narrative: WE WERE ON DSCNT THROUGH 17000 FT HEADING DIRECT TO MATEO VOR. THE SEATBELT SIGN WAS ON AND APCH DSCNT CHKLIST WAS COMPLETE. THROUGH 17000 FT WE PASSED THROUGH A STRATUS CLOUD LAYER WHEN WE HIT MODERATE TURB FOR APPROX 10 SECONDS. ABOUT 3 MINS LATER THE PURSER CALLED AND SAID HER AND SOME OF THE FLT ATTENDANTS WERE HURT. I TOLD THEM THAT WE WOULD BE ON THE GND IN ABOUT 10 MINS AND ASKED IF THEY NEEDED MEDICAL TO MEET THE AIRPLANE. SHE SAID NO. I ASKED IF THERE WAS ANYTHING THAT I COULD DO FOR THEM AND SHE SAID SHE DIDN'T KNOW. AFTER A NORMAL APCH AND LNDG AND IN THE GATE WITH THE CHKLIST COMPLETE; I WENT IN THE BACK TO SEE HOW THEY WERE DOING DURING DEPLANING. ALL FLT ATTENDANTS WERE UPRIGHT AND DOING THEIR JOBS OF SEEING THE PAX OFF. ONCE THE PAX WERE GONE I DEBRIEFED WITH THE FLT ATTENDANTS AND AGAIN OFFERED TO CALL MEDICAL. THEY THEN ENGAGED IN A DEBATE AS TO WHETHER THEY COULD FLY HOME OR NOT. XXX SAID SHE WANTED TO FLY HOME. YYY ACTED UNSURE. HE SAID HE HURT HIS BACK AND HAVING EXPERIENCED PREVIOUS BACK INJURY WASN'T SURE IF HIS PRESENT CONDITION WOULDN'T WORSEN. THE PURSER AT ZZZ TOLD THE CREW THAT SHE DIDN'T THINK THAT THEY COULD PERFORM THEIR DUTIES IN CASE OF EMER AND SUGGESTED THAT THEY NOT FLY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.