A B757-200 ENCOUNTERS SEVERE TURB WHILE ENRTE FROM MIA TO PAP. FO FLEW BTWN 2 TSTM CELLS. CABIN ATTENDANTS WERE UP IN THE AISLES PROVIDING A MEAL SVC TO THE PAX. FLT RETURNED TO MIA WITH A MEDICAL EMER DECLARED. 5 CABIN ATTENDANTS AND 3 PAX WERE LATER SEEN AT A MIA EMER ROOM CTR.
Synopsis
A B757-200 ENCOUNTERS SEVERE TURB WHILE ENRTE FROM MIA TO PAP. FO FLEW BTWN 2 TSTM CELLS. CABIN ATTENDANTS WERE UP IN THE AISLES PROVIDING A MEAL SVC TO THE PAX. FLT RETURNED TO MIA WITH A MEDICAL EMER DECLARED. 5 CABIN ATTENDANTS AND 3 PAX WERE LATER SEEN AT A MIA EMER ROOM CTR.
Narrative
LESS THAN 1 HR AFTER TKOF; 4 FLT ATTENDANTS WERE IN COACH DOING BEVERAGE SVC ON ONE CART; AND MEAL SVC ON ANOTHER CART. 2 MEAL CARTS HAD BEEN EMPTIED AND 2 FLT ATTENDANTS WERE IN THE AFT GALLEY WHEN WE ENCOUNTERED TURB. THE OTHER 2 FLT ATTENDANTS WHO WERE ON THE BEVERAGE CART (MYSELF INCLUDED) STILL IN THE AISLE. FIRST A HARD BUMP; AND EVERYTHING JUMPED ONCE OR TWICE. THEN THE GRAVITY PUSHED US DOWN INTO A SQUATTING POS. I REMEMBER THE PRESSURE KEPT ME FROM GETTING UP TO BETTER SECURE THE CART AND/OR MYSELF. THEN WE LIFTED OFF THE FLOOR AND THE 2 OF US WERE ON THE CEILING FOR SEVERAL SECONDS. I REMEMBER LOOKING DOWN ONTO A MALE PAX AND REALIZING I WOULD LAND ON HIM. WITH ANOTHER HARD THRUST I WAS THROWN DOWN ON HIM AND ALSO HIS SEAT BACK. ANOTHER BUMP PUT ME ONTO THE FLOOR (WITH A LOT OF FOOD AND MEAL TRAYS; CUPS; ETC). MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS FOR THE FLT ATTENDANT ON THE OTHER END OF THE CART. I DIDN'T SEE HER AND WAS WORRIED THE CART HAD LANDED ON HER (IT WENT 5 FT UP ALSO). I SAW THAT AFTER SHE LANDED; SHE HAD JUMPED INTO A PAX SEAT AND BUCKLED IN. I DID AS WELL; SO AS NOT TO HIT ANY OTHER PAX. WE HAD NO MORE TURB FROM THIS POINT ON. WITHIN SECONDS OF BUCKLING UP; THE FIRST CLASS FLT ATTENDANTS (2) CAME THROUGH COACH TO ASSESS. I ASKED THE PURSER IF HE THOUGHT IT WAS SAFE TO GET UP. HE SAID HE WANTED TO CHK THE PAX SO WE ALL GOT UP AND BEGAN CHKING PAX. I SOMEWHAT PERCEIVED DURING THE ROUGH PARTS; THAT THE PAX WERE NOT MOVING AROUND OR 'LIFTING' AS WE HAD. BECAUSE WE WERE IN THE AISLE IN LESS THAN 1 HR AFTER TKOF; THUS KEEPING PAX IN THEIR SEATS; THE PAX INJURIES WERE FEW (LESS THAN 5?). THEIR SEAT BELTS BEING ON MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE. I WAS SHAKING VERY HARD AND HURTING -- ABDOMEN; WRIST; JAW; KNEE; RIBS; BUT THE ADRENALINE KEPT ME FOCUSED. WE COMFORTED PAX; PICKED UP RUINED TRAYS FROM THEIR LAPS AND FLOOR; PASSED OUT PAPER TOWELS TO WIPE UP THEIR FACES; HANDS; CLOTHING; ETC. ALMOST NO ONE RPTED INJURIES. I ONLY ENCOUNTERED 1 FEMALE; HVY SET; WHO WAS SITTING BY A WINDOW AND HAD HIT HER HEAD ON THE PAX SVC UNIT ABOVE HER. SHE COMPLAINED OF A HURT NECK. I DON'T KNOW HOW CLR AIR TURB CAN BE DETECTED OR PREVENTED. I FEEL OUR COCKPIT CREW DID EVERYTHING THEY COULD TO CORRECT. 5 CREW MEMBERS WERE SEEN AT THE EMER ROOM THAT NIGHT (WE HAD TURNED AROUND AND RETURNED TO MIA). 2-3 PAX WERE SEEN AT A DIFFERENT EMER ROOM. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 379486: FREQ: ZMA. ALT: FL330. LOCATION: 200 MI SSE MIA. WX APPROX 200 NM FROM MIA S OF NAU. I WAS FLYING THE LEG AND WE WERE GOING BTWN 2 CELLS. ENCOUNTERED SEVERE AIR TURB LASTING ABOUT 10 SECONDS. CAPT CHKED WITH THE FLT ATTENDANTS TO ASSESS THE SIT. THE CAPT DECLARED A MEDICAL EMER AND RETURNED TO MIA. THE SKY CONDITIONS AT THE TIME WERE HIGH CIRRUS WITH MOSTLY RAIN WITH A FEW INDIVIDUAL CELLS.
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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.