AN MD80 FLT CREW RPTED A FLT ATTENDANT WAS INJURED DURING A SUDDEN ONSET OF SEVERE TURB DURING APCH TO ORD.

Date: 2004-07 · Aircraft: MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model

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

Synopsis

AN MD80 FLT CREW RPTED A FLT ATTENDANT WAS INJURED DURING A SUDDEN ONSET OF SEVERE TURB DURING APCH TO ORD.

Narrative

WE WERE DSNDING ON THE BRADFORD THREE ARR TO ORD APCHING NEWRK INTXN. THE RADAR SHOWED SOME ACTIVITY S OFF COURSE. ON THE SCOPE; A LINE OF 3 OR 4 CELLS; WELL DEFINED; ABOUT THE SIZE OF A PENCIL ERASER (ON THE 80 MI RANGE); PAINTING GREEN. WELL S WE SAW LIGHTNING. DIRECTLY AHEAD; ON THE NORTHERN MOST SIDE OF THE LINE; THE RADAR SHOWED 5-7 GREEN DOTS. IT WAS A VERY SMALL UNDEFINED RETURN. WE WERE DSNDING THROUGH 15000 FT AND IN THE CLR. ALTHOUGH IT WAS NIGHT; BECAUSE OF THE CITY LIGHTS; WE COULD VISUALLY SEE THE BUILDUP IN FRONT OF US. THE TOP LOOKED TO BE ABOUT 17000 FT. IT WAS RATHER NARROW AND QUITE VERT; LIKE A COLUMN. I ASKED THE CAPT IF HE WANTED TO COME L. HE DECLINED. I ASKED IF HE WANTED ME TO SIT THE FLT ATTENDANTS DOWN. HE SAID HE'D TAKE CARE OF IT; AND GAVE THE 'PREPARE FOR LNDG' PA. WE ENTERED THE BUILDUP AT 280 KTS AND EXPERIENCED SUDDEN MODERATE TO SEVERE TURB. THE CAPT TURNED L AS I ASKED APCH FOR A L TURN FOR WX. WE WERE OUT OF THE TURB IN LESS THAN 10 SECONDS. THE CAPT HAD ME CHK WITH THE FLT ATTENDANTS. I WAS TOLD THAT THE #2 FLT ATTENDANT HAD HURT HER ANKLE BADLY; AND IT WAS SWELLING FAST. I RELAYED THIS TO THE CAPT. HE HAD ME RADIO RAMP FOR THE PARAMEDICS. I WAS BUSY WITH THE REST OF THE CHKLIST AND APCH DUTIES AND DIDN'T REALIZE; UNTIL THE END OF THE FLT; THAT I HADN'T RPTED THE TURB TO APCH. I WAS OFF THE RADIO TO THE FLT ATTENDANTS AND COMPANY AND AM NOT SURE IF THE CAPT RPTED IT OR NOT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 624817: NOT KNOWN IF DISPATCH AND ATC WERE INFORMED. FLT ATTENDANT WAS IN THE PROCESS OF STRAPPING IN TO JUMP SEAT AND INJURED HER L ANKLE AND BACK. PARAMEDICS MET FLT AND RECOMMENDED HOSPITAL VISIT FOR FURTHER EVALUATION. FLT SVCS REPRESENTATIVE ALSO MET ACFT AND PLANNED TO MEET FLT ATTENDANT AT HOSPITAL.

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