ACR ENCOUNTERS TURB AT CRUISE. CABIN ATTENDANT INJURED. DIVERT LAND.
Synopsis
ACR ENCOUNTERS TURB AT CRUISE. CABIN ATTENDANT INJURED. DIVERT LAND.
Narrative
ENCOUNTERED LIGHT CHOP IN CIRRUS LAYER AT FL350. I TURNED ON THE SEAT BELT SIGN AND REQUESTED FL370. THE REQUEST WAS DENIED. RADAR SHOWED NO RETURNS AND RPTED WX AND TURB WAS WELL TO THE S OF OUR POS. ABOUT 50 NM LATER; WE ENCOUNTERED MODERATE CHOP; AND I INSTRUCTED THE FLT ATTENDANTS TO BE SEATED. A SHORT TIME LATER WE ENCOUNTERED SEVERAL STRONG UP- AND DOWNDRAFTS. ONE OF OUR FLT ATTENDANTS HAD NOT MADE IT TO HER SEAT AND WAS INJURED. A DOCTOR ON BOARD EXAMINED HER AND RECOMMENDED HOSPITALIZATION ASAP. I COORDINATED WITH DISPATCH AND DIVERTED TO SLC. I REQUESTED AND RECEIVED PRIORITY HANDLING. THE FLT ATTENDANT WAS TAKEN TO A SALT LAKE HOSPITAL. THIS UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER WITH TURB UNDERSCORES THE NEED FOR FLT ATTENDANTS TO BE QUICK IN THEIR RESPONSE TO COCKPIT ORDERS TO BE SEATED FOR TURB; EITHER TO THEIR ASSIGNED SEATS OR ANY AVAILABLE SEAT WITH A SEAT BELT. ALL TOO OFTEN FLT ATTENDANTS ASSUME THAT IF TURB IS NOT NOW UNCOMFORTABLE IT WILL NOT GET WORSE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 305929: I THINK THAT IF WE HAD BEEN GIVEN A CLB WHEN WE REQUESTED IT AND NOT TOLD TO STANDBY FOR 20 MINS WE WOULD NOT HAVE ENCOUNTERED THE TURB FROM THE BUILDING WX. WE WERE ALSO VERY LUCKY THAT ALL OUR PAX REMAINED IN THEIR SEATS WHEN WE PUT THE SEAT BELT SIGN ON.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.