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Air carrier widebody transport attempting to fly over top of thunderstorm encountered turbulence causing injuries to cabin attendants and passenger.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 86793 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198805 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : onl |
| State Reference | NE |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 37000 msl bound upper : 39000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdv |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : zdv |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 16500 flight time type : 2500 |
| ASRS Report | 86793 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter other other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Weather |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
Encountered long narrow band of thunderstorms 3-6 mi wide painting on radar with antenna pointing down. Climbed to 39500' to top cumulus in area. Light turbulence then rapid updraft sending aircraft up to 28500'. Then, rapid downdraft reducing airspeed about 25 KTS. Given block altitude clearance and continued descent to 37000' to maintain airspeed. All passenger and F/a's were seated with seatbelts fastened. Moderate turbulence on descent as cumulus tops were entered on descent below 39000'. 2 F/a's in rear jumpseats reported strained backs and 1 passenger reported wrenched shoulder. Trays and beverages were thrown about in aft cabin. Forward cabin did not spill drinks. Don't know if tail whipping was caused by downdraft or when pilot went to turbulence mode of autoplt. Line of thunderstorms was very narrow and all the indications were that cells were well below flight path.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ACR WDB ATTEMPTING TO FLY OVER TOP OF TSTM ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE CAUSING INJURIES TO CABIN ATTENDANTS AND PASSENGER.
Narrative: ENCOUNTERED LONG NARROW BAND OF TSTMS 3-6 MI WIDE PAINTING ON RADAR WITH ANTENNA POINTING DOWN. CLBED TO 39500' TO TOP CUMULUS IN AREA. LIGHT TURB THEN RAPID UPDRAFT SENDING ACFT UP TO 28500'. THEN, RAPID DOWNDRAFT REDUCING AIRSPD ABOUT 25 KTS. GIVEN BLOCK ALT CLRNC AND CONTINUED DSCNT TO 37000' TO MAINTAIN AIRSPD. ALL PAX AND F/A'S WERE SEATED WITH SEATBELTS FASTENED. MODERATE TURB ON DSCNT AS CUMULUS TOPS WERE ENTERED ON DSCNT BELOW 39000'. 2 F/A'S IN REAR JUMPSEATS RPTED STRAINED BACKS AND 1 PAX RPTED WRENCHED SHOULDER. TRAYS AND BEVERAGES WERE THROWN ABOUT IN AFT CABIN. FORWARD CABIN DID NOT SPILL DRINKS. DON'T KNOW IF TAIL WHIPPING WAS CAUSED BY DOWNDRAFT OR WHEN PLT WENT TO TURB MODE OF AUTOPLT. LINE OF TSTMS WAS VERY NARROW AND ALL THE INDICATIONS WERE THAT CELLS WERE WELL BELOW FLT PATH.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.