Incident Overview
A Boeing 737-800, while descending from 37,000 feet to 24,000 feet during an arrival to Miami International Airport (MIA) in Miami, Florida, encountered turbulence. The pilot flying, who was the captain, stated that 26 minutes before the scheduled landing he asked the flight attendants to prepare the cabin earlier than usual. This request was due to "weather south and west of MIA and along our route of flight," according to the captain.
Turbulence Encounter
Ten minutes after the announcement, the airplane experienced turbulence that caused altitude changes of plus or minus 500 feet within a few seconds. The pilot reported that both of the airplane's weather radar systems were turned on and were scanning at 40 and 80 miles range respectively. The radar returns showed no convective activity in the immediate area.
Flight Attendant Actions and Injuries
The flight attendants had been preparing the cabin for arrival as per the pilot's request. Two flight attendants were finalizing their duties in the aft galley when the turbulence occurred. They were thrown to the ceiling, and after coming down, they attempted to open the jump seat and secure themselves, but were again thrown to the ceiling. During this sequence, one of the flight attendants sustained a fractured ankle.
Aircraft and Operations
The aircraft involved was a Boeing 737-800. No further details about the aircraft, such as registration or operator, were provided in the source. The flight was arriving at Miami International Airport, but the point of origin and flight number were not specified.