What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) At 1600E, flight 3608, while in route to Richmond international airport (ric), encountered turbulence over the flat rock, Virginia VOR (pak) at 15,000 feet. The flight attendant was advised by the captain to secure the galley and sit down in preparation for turbulence within 5-10 minutes. The flight attandant followed the captain's instructions. A few minutes later, the aircraft bounced a few times and then went smooth. The flight attendant thought the turbulence was over and unfastened her seat belt to complete cabin prepartions for landing. As she got to the back of the aircraft approximately four minutes later, the aircraft encountered sudden severe turbulence that knocked her to the floor. The crew called the ric tower for medical assistance upon the aircraft's arrival. The aircraft landed on runway 20 without further incident. The ARFF responded and reported that a flight attendant had sustained an ankle injury. The flight attendant was examined by an MD, and it was determined that she sustained two broken bones above her ankle. Due to this accident, the operator has said that it will institute a training program that specifically addresses in flight severe turbulence.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AT 1600E, FLIGHT 3608, WHILE IN ROUTE TO RICHMOND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (RIC), ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE OVER THE FLAT ROCK, VIRGINIA VOR (PAK) AT 15,000 FEET. THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT WAS ADVISED BY THE CAPTAIN TO SECURE THE GALLEY AND SIT DOWN IN PREPARATION FOR TURBULENCE WITHIN 5-10 MINUTES. THE FLIGHT ATTANDANT FOLLOWED THE CAPTAIN'S INSTRUCTIONS. A FEW MINUTES LATER, THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED A FEW TIMES AND THEN WENT SMOOTH. THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT THOUGHT THE TURBULENCE WAS OVER AND UNFASTENED HER SEAT BELT TO COMPLETE CABIN PREPARTIONS FOR LANDING. AS SHE GOT TO THE BACK OF THE AIRCRAFT APPROXIMATELY FOUR MINUTES LATER, THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED SUDDEN SEVERE TURBULENCE THAT KNOCKED HER TO THE FLOOR. THE CREW CALLED THE RIC TOWER FOR MEDICAL ASSISTANCE UPON THE AIRCRAFT'S ARRIVAL. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED ON RUNWAY 20 WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE ARFF RESPONDED AND REPORTED THAT A FLIGHT ATTENDANT HAD SUSTAINED AN ANKLE INJURY. THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT WAS EXAMINED BY AN MD, AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT SHE SUSTAINED TWO BROKEN BONES ABOVE HER ANKLE. DUE TO THIS ACCIDENT, THE OPERATOR HAS SAID THAT IT WILL INSTITUTE A TRAINING PROGRAM THAT SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSES IN FLIGHT SEVERE TURBULENCE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.