Incident Overview

Description
According to the Captain, the airplane encountered a moderate bump of turbulence, about one second in duration. He stated that the airplane was skimming a broken layer of clouds with about 2,000 feet of vertical buildup. He stated that the preparation for landing public address was given about six minutes before the airplane encountered the turbulence. According to the Captain, there was “nothing on the radar or visual observation of the sky condition to suggest any more than light turbulence. The number one flight attendant stated the Captain told the flight attendants that there might be turbulence ahead and for them to clean up and sit down. She stated that they were in the process of cleaning up “when it got really bad,” and she had to hold onto the seatback. She stated that she saw the number two flight attendant’s legs extending into the aisle. The number one flight attendant stated that the number two flight attendant had fallen onto her ankle and she helped her into her seat. At the gate, emergency personnel put a splint on her ankle and transported her to the hospital, where it was later discovered that her ankle was broken. Probable Cause: The airplane’s inflight encounter with turbulence that resulted in injuries to the number two flight attendant.
Primary Cause
Moderate turbulenceModerate turbulenceShare on: