FLC; DURING CLB; ENCOUNTERS SEVERE TURB RESULTING IN PAX INJURIES. FLC ELECTS TO DIVERT TO CLOSEST ARPT.

Date: 2002-05 · Aircraft: B747-400 · Phase: cruise

Anomalies: flight-deck-cabin-aircraft-event-other-unknown|inflight-event-encounter-weather-turbulence

Synopsis

FLC; DURING CLB; ENCOUNTERS SEVERE TURB RESULTING IN PAX INJURIES. FLC ELECTS TO DIVERT TO CLOSEST ARPT.

Narrative

APPROX 2 HRS INTO FLT; GOT CLRNC TO CLB TO FL310. IN CLB; WE NOTICED A LAYER OF BROKEN CLOUDS WITH TOPS NEAR FL320 AND BASES APPEARED AROUND FL270. CAPT TURNED ON SEATBELT SIGN. WE HAD ONLY 1 MIN OR LESS BEFORE ENTERING CLOUD BANK. IT WAS DUSK BUT NOT TOO DARK TO MAKE OUT LAYER. ONLY RADAR ECHO WAS AT 1 O'CLOCK POS; 30 NM AND ALL GREEN. NO CLRLY DEFINED TOPS WHICH YOU WOULD EXPECT WITH A CUMULONIMBUS. NO PIREPS; NO SIGMETS; NO FORECAST WX FOR THAT AREA; NO RADAR RETURNS STRAIGHT AHEAD AND TO THE L; NO LIGHTNING. ANTICIPATED A FEW BUMPS BUT INSTEAD HIT BIG JOLTS OF SEVERE TURB FOR APPROX 7-10 SECONDS. CALLED TO PURSER AND SHE SAID WE HAD NUMEROUS INJURIES. SEVERAL DOCTORS AND EMT'S RECOMMENDED DIVERT. COORDINATED WITH DISPATCH; MAINT; AND ATC FOR CLRNC TO AUK. TIME TO ACHIEVE ALL THIS COORD WAS 1 HR 15 MINS; WHICH I BELIEVE SHOULD HAVE BEEN SHORTENED CONSIDERABLY. OUR 1 HR 15 MIN FLT TO AUK BECAME 2 HRS 45 MINS. WE COORD WITH ATC TO DUMP FUEL TO ALLOW A MAX LNDG WT. WE MADE AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG AT AUK. CAPT ELECTED NOT TO DECLARE EMER.

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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.