What happened
On May 14, 2016, at approximately 1900 EDT, an Airbus A320-214, registration N103US, was performing a scheduled passenger flight from Chicago O'Hare International Airport (KORD) to Philadelphia International Airport (KPHL). During the descent into Philadelphia, the flight crew issued a public address announcement and notified the cabin crew regarding the possibility of turbulence. While the weather radar showed no convective cells and there were no prior pilot reports of turbulence, the aircraft encountered moderate chop for approximately one to two minutes.
During this period of turbulence, the C flight attendant was seated in the aft jumpseat. The motion of the aircraft caused the crew member to be tossed upward and then back down, resulting in his left hand being crushed by the jumpseat. There were 136 passengers and 5 crew members on board; the flight attendant was the only person injured, sustaining one serious injury (a broken left hand).
Upon being notified of the injury, the flight crew coordinated with air traffic control to ensure medical personnel were waiting at the gate upon arrival at KPHL. The flight attendant was subsequently transported to a hospital.