Incident Overview
While taxiing at night toward a runway intersection at a speed of about 12 knots, the first officer abruptly yelled, "stop the aircraft." The captain immediately brought the airplane to a halt. After confirming there was no immediate danger to the aircraft, the crew discovered that one of the flight attendants had injured her elbow. The captain decided to return the airplane to the gate, where the injured flight attendant was replaced.
Additional Injuries
Two other flight attendants reported some bruising but felt capable of continuing the flight. During the en route portion of the flight, one of these flight attendants informed the captain of back pain, while the other felt nauseous. After landing, both flight attendants were taken to a hospital for further evaluation. One was released, but the other remained hospitalized for more than 48 hours with a herniated disk.
First Officer's Explanation
The first officer stated that his command to stop was prompted by the presence of another airplane on the crossing runway. He believed the other aircraft might be holding in position for takeoff and wanted to ensure that his own airplane was on the correct taxiway before crossing the runway.