Incident Details
American Airlines Flight 722 was operating from El Paso, Texas, to Chicago, Illinois. While approximately 30 miles north of Childress, Texas, at flight level 330 (FL330), the aircraft experienced severe turbulence lasting about five seconds. The first officer was piloting the aircraft in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). The flight crew reported that no weather cells were depicted on the aircraft's radar in the immediate vicinity, with the nearest cell approximately 20 miles to the right of the flight path.
Convective sigmets 99C, 01C, and 02C were in effect for New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas at the time of the incident.
Injuries and Response
During the turbulence encounter, two flight attendants and seven passengers were taken to a local hospital in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, after the flight diverted there. All individuals were treated and subsequently released.
Aircraft Condition
An inspection of the aircraft following the incident revealed no damage. The aircraft was cleared for further flight operations.