What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Horizon air 255, sea-rno, encountered severe turbulence at FL 230, 45 miles se rdm, on 27FEB 2003PST. Pilot reported a loss of 1,500' in altitude. The pilots reported the turbulence occurred two or three times in a period lasting 30-45 seconds. According to the flight attendants (f/as), the pilots had no notice of the turbulence, either from ATC or otherwise. After the first turbulence occurrence the pilots advised the f/as they could get up and stow equipment. The second occurrence is when one passenger was injured, and when the f/as were thrown around the most. The f/as did not sustain any known injuries. The seatbelt sign was on. One passenger released her seatbelt after the initial occurrence to retrieve her purse, which had fallen into the aisle. When the second turbulence happened she hit her head on the overhead bins, and then hit her chest on the armrest. She was treated by an ambulance service on arrival in reno. She had no head injury, but complained of increased pain when inhaling, and increased pain when pressure was applied to the injury. There was redness in the injury area. The ambulance service recommended she be seen by a physician. She declined this service, saying she would see her personal doctor the next day. She was taken home by family. Reviewing airmets and sigmets for the time of the flight we found no specific warnings for turbulence. There was an AIRMET for turbulence covering WA, OR, CA, ID, NV, and coastal waters from FL180 to FL380. From the f/a report; the pilots talked with ATC after the first occurrence and were told there had been no turbulence reports in that area. There was no information available to alert the crew or the company to re-route the flight to avoid turbulence. Investigation is closed. No further action required.
As the FAA filed it
HORIZON AIR 255, SEA-RNO, ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURBULENCE AT FL 230, 45 MILES SE RDM, ON 27FEB 2003PST. PILOT REPORTED A LOSS OF 1,500' IN ALTITUDE. THE PILOTS REPORTED THE TURBULENCE OCCURRED TWO OR THREE TIMES IN A PERIOD LASTING 30-45 SECONDS. ACCORDING TO THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS (F/AS), THE PILOTS HAD NO NOTICE OF THE TURBULENCE, EITHER FROM ATC OR OTHERWISE. AFTER THE FIRST TURBULENCE OCCURRENCE THE PILOTS ADVISED THE F/AS THEY COULD GET UP AND STOW EQUIPMENT. THE SECOND OCCURRENCE IS WHEN ONE PASSENGER WAS INJURED, AND WHEN THE F/AS WERE THROWN AROUND THE MOST. THE F/AS DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY KNOWN INJURIES. THE SEATBELT SIGN WAS ON.ONE PASSENGER RELEASED HER SEATBELT AFTER THE INITIAL OCCURRENCE TO RETRIEVE HER PURSE, WHICH HAD FALLEN INTO THE AISLE. WHEN THE SECOND TURBULENCE HAPPENED SHE HIT HER HEAD ON THE OVERHEAD BINS, AND THEN HIT HER CHEST ON THE ARMREST. SHE WAS TREATED BY AN AMBULANCE SERVICE ON ARRIVAL IN RENO. SHE HAD NO HEAD INJURY, BUT COMPLAINED OF INCREASED PAIN WHEN INHALING, AND INCREASED PAIN WHEN PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE INJURY. THERE WAS REDNESS IN THE INJURY AREA. THE AMBULANCE SERVICE RECOMMENDED SHE BE SEEN BY A PHYSICIAN. SHE DECLINED THIS SERVICE, SAYING SHE WOULD SEE HER PERSONAL DOCTOR THE NEXT DAY. SHE WAS TAKEN HOME BY FAMILY.REVIEWING AIRMETS AND SIGMETS FOR THE TIME OF THE FLIGHT WE FOUND NO SPECIFIC WARNINGS FOR TURBULENCE. THERE WAS AN AIRMET FOR TURBULENCE COVERING WA, OR, CA, ID, NV, AND COASTAL WATERS FROM FL180 TO FL380. FROM THE F/A REPORT; THE PILOTS TALKED WITH ATC AFTER THE FIRST OCCURRENCE AND WERE TOLD THERE HAD BEEN NO TURBULENCE REPORTS IN THAT AREA. THERE WAS NO INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO ALERT THE CREW OR THE COMPANY TO RE-ROUTE THE FLIGHT TO AVOID TURBULENCE.INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED. NO FURTHER ACTION REQUIRED.