Flight attendant working in the cabin of a B737 was injured when the aircraft encountered turbulence...

Attributes
ACN	783141
Time
Date	200804
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Weather Elements	Turbulence
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Qualification	flight attendant : currently qualified flight attendant aircraft qualified on : 4
Experience	flight attendant time airline total : 35 flight attendant time total : 35
ASRS Report	783141
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : turbulence
Independent Detector	other other : 1
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

We were in the rear of the aircraft. We had just finished locking up everything and the severe turbulence started. I hit up against the fuselage and we were trying to pull down the jumpseat. We couldn't get it down at that time. Then we were lifted off our feet into the ceiling. When we came down; we landed on the floor. My foot was under me. I tried to get up and couldn't. I said my foot hurt; I can't get up. I sat there for a few mins then I got up; crawled up to my jumpseat. My foot was in pain. I said I need to go into the lavatory. So I hopped; I couldn't put any pressure on my left foot. It had already began to swell. I came back out; sat down; and the #4 flight attendant put some ice on my ankle and it just kept getting bigger. When we landed and the paramedics came and looked after us; they took us to the emergency room. They confirmed that my ankle was broken from x-rays. What could have prevented? Nothing; because it was air turbulence. The captain and first officer said they saw nothing on the radar screen. When we have turbulence as severe as this was; we need to be in our seats.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT ATTENDANT WORKING IN THE CABIN OF A B737 WAS INJURED WHEN THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED TURB.

Narrative: WE WERE IN THE REAR OF THE ACFT. WE HAD JUST FINISHED LOCKING UP EVERYTHING AND THE SEVERE TURB STARTED. I HIT UP AGAINST THE FUSELAGE AND WE WERE TRYING TO PULL DOWN THE JUMPSEAT. WE COULDN'T GET IT DOWN AT THAT TIME. THEN WE WERE LIFTED OFF OUR FEET INTO THE CEILING. WHEN WE CAME DOWN; WE LANDED ON THE FLOOR. MY FOOT WAS UNDER ME. I TRIED TO GET UP AND COULDN'T. I SAID MY FOOT HURT; I CAN'T GET UP. I SAT THERE FOR A FEW MINS THEN I GOT UP; CRAWLED UP TO MY JUMPSEAT. MY FOOT WAS IN PAIN. I SAID I NEED TO GO INTO THE LAVATORY. SO I HOPPED; I COULDN'T PUT ANY PRESSURE ON MY L FOOT. IT HAD ALREADY BEGAN TO SWELL. I CAME BACK OUT; SAT DOWN; AND THE #4 FLT ATTENDANT PUT SOME ICE ON MY ANKLE AND IT JUST KEPT GETTING BIGGER. WHEN WE LANDED AND THE PARAMEDICS CAME AND LOOKED AFTER US; THEY TOOK US TO THE EMER ROOM. THEY CONFIRMED THAT MY ANKLE WAS BROKEN FROM X-RAYS. WHAT COULD HAVE PREVENTED? NOTHING; BECAUSE IT WAS AIR TURB. THE CAPT AND FO SAID THEY SAW NOTHING ON THE RADAR SCREEN. WHEN WE HAVE TURB AS SEVERE AS THIS WAS; WE NEED TO BE IN OUR SEATS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.