B737 FLT CREW ENCOUNTER MODERATE TURB; LEVEL AT FL240 ON THE CQY STAR INTO DFW. COORD WITH FLT ATTENDANTS IDENTIFY FLT ATTENDANT INJURIES.

Narrative

WE WERE LEVEL AT FL240 ON THE CQY-5 ARR INTO DFW. IT WAS SMOOTH; SO I TURNED OFF THE SEATBELT SIGN AND DID MY PA. THERE WAS WX OVER GIFFA AND WE DECIDED TO TURN L TO AVOID THE BUILDUPS. I SUSPECTED IT WOULD GET BUMPY NEAR THE WX; SO I TURNED THE SEATBELT SIGN ON AGAIN AND TOLD THE PAX TO REMAIN SEATED. BEFORE I COULD CALL THE FLT ATTENDANTS; WE ENCOUNTERED TURB. IT LASTED 5-10 SECONDS. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE #1 FLT ATTENDANT AND SHE INFORMED THAT SHE AND SEVERAL OF THE FLT ATTENDANTS SUFFERED INJURIES. WE CALLED AHEAD AND REQUESTED A FLT ATTENDANT SUPVR MEET THE ACFT. SHE TOOK THEM TO MEDICAL AT DFW. ALL PAX WERE IN THEIR SEATS AND NONE WERE INJURED. THE FO AND I DISCUSSED THE ENCOUNTER AND FELT IT WAS MORE MODERATE THAN IT WAS SEVERE. WE DID NOT RPT IT BECAUSE WE FELT IT WAS ISOLATED NEAR THE WX WE WERE TRYING TO AVOID. I DID NOT HAVE THE ACFT INSPECTED BECAUSE WE FELT IT WAS MORE MODERATE THAN SEVERE. AFTER REVIEWING PART 1 FURTHER; I DECIDED THAT THE ACFT SHOULD BE INSPECTED ANYWAY AS A PRECAUTION. I CALLED THE FO AND DISCUSSED THIS WITH HIM. THEN I CALLED THE SYS OPS CTR AND HE PUT ME THROUGH TO THE MAINT DIRECTOR. WE DISCUSSED THE EVENT AND EVEN THOUGH THE ENCOUNTER DID NOT MEET THE FULL DEFINITION OF SEVERE; I ASKED HIM TO HAVE THE ACFT INSPECTED. HE HAD IT DONE WHILE THE ACFT WAS OVERNIGHTING. THE MAINT DIRECTOR SAID THE INSPECTION WAS COMPLETED AND THE ACFT WAS OK. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 592911: THE AUTOPLT STAYED ENGAGED AND WE WERE NOT THROWN AROUND. KIT BAGS; MANUALS; DRINK CUPS AND THE LOGBOOK DID NOT MOVE. UP UNTIL WE PARKED; WE DID NOT CONSIDER THE OCCURRENCE TO BE SEVERE. I THINK IT WAS ON THE UPPER END OF MODERATE. I HAVE NEVER ENCOUNTERED SEVERE; BUT ACCEPT THAT SEVERE IS WHAT WOULD BE ENCOUNTERED IN A TSTM. UPON REVIEW OF FLT MANUAL; THE CAPT DECIDED THAT IT WOULD BE BEST TO TAKE THE CONSERVATIVE POS AND REQUEST AN INSPECTION BE ACCOMPLISHED TO REMOVE DOUBT THAT THE ACFT MAY HAVE SUSTAINED DAMAGE. I DID NOT SUGGEST RPTING THE INCIDENT TO ATC OR DISPATCH BECAUSE I FELT THAT IT WAS AN ISOLATED OCCURRENCE THAT CAME FROM FLYING NEAR THIS ISOLATED WX.