B767 PIC RPT OF A SHORT ENCOUNTER WITH MODERATE TURB WHEREIN ONE PAX WAS SCALDED BY AN OVERTURNED COFFEE POT; FL390 ON FREQ WITH ZMA.

Narrative

WHILE LEVEL AT FL390 WE WERE IN THE TOPS OF THE OVCST WITH NO TSTM ECHOES DISPLAYED ON THE RADAR. I HAD BEEN RANGING BACK AND FORTH ON THE SCALES AND USING VARIOUS TILTS. WE HAD BEEN IN LIGHT CHOP MOST OF THE FLT AND THE SEAT BELT SIGN WAS ON. WE HIT AN AREA OF MODERATE TURB FOR ABOUT 5 OR 10 SECONDS WITH SOME UP AND DOWN VECTORS; DURING WHICH WE DIDN'T GAIN OR LOSE MORE THAN 20 FT OR SO AND THE AUTOPLT DID NOT DISENGAGE. BUT DURING THIS TIME A SERVING CART APPARENTLY MOVED ENOUGH TO HIT A WOMAN'S ARM AND SPILL A POT OF COFFEE ON ANOTHER WOMAN. THE FLT CONTINUED TO HOUSTON AND EMTS AND PAX SVC REPRESENTATIVES WERE REQUESTED TO MEET THE FLT. ONE DECISION THAT I MADE THAT IMPACTED THE EVENT WAS TO ALLOW THE FLT ATTENDANTS TO DO A SVC. AT THE TIME THE TURB WAS ONLY LIGHT AND I FELT IT WAS SAFE TO DO SO. ONE THING I DID NOT DO; WHICH I SHOULD HAVE; WAS TO INFORM ATC OF THE TURB AND THE INJURIES; BUT THERE WAS A TIME LAG INVOLVED IN GETTING INFO FROM THE BACK OF THE ACFT. WHEN THINGS SETTLED DOWN I NEGLECTED TO DO SO.