What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
While in the vicinity of the joliet, IL VOR (jot) at 15,000 feet, the aircraft encountered severe turbulence for a period of a few seconds. The fasten seat belt sign was illuminated and all passengers were seated with their seat belts fastened. The flight attendant was standing in the aisle near the forward galley. The aircraft continued to and landed at its scheduled destination of Milwaukee, WI (mke).five passengers struck their heads on the overhead passenger service units causing minor damage to three of the units and minor injuries to the passengers. Three additional passengers received minor injuries due to seat belt strain. The flight attendant contacted the aircraft ceiling and suffered a broken nose and broken left wrist. After landing, six persons (including the flight attendant) were transported to local hospitals and subsequently released. All 5 passengers who struck their heads on the passenger service units were 5'9" or taller. For a person who is 5'9" tall, there is approximately 6" of clearance between to top of the head and the passenger service unit above.SIGMET victor 1 for reported occasional severe turbulence between 14,000 feet and 24,000 feet was in effect at the time of the turbulence encounter. Accordingly, the company dispatcher filed the flight plan for 13,000 feet. The flight crew, however, elected to operate the flight at 15,000 feet because of climb out reports in stl.
As the FAA filed it
WHILE IN THE VICINITY OF THE JOLIET, IL VOR (JOT) AT 15,000 FEET, THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURBULENCE FOR A PERIOD OF A FEW SECONDS. THE FASTEN SEAT BELT SIGN WAS ILLUMINATED AND ALL PASSENGERS WERE SEATED WITH THEIR SEAT BELTS FASTENED. THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT WAS STANDING IN THE AISLE NEAR THE FORWARD GALLEY. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO AND LANDED AT ITS SCHEDULED DESTINATION OF MILWAUKEE, WI (MKE).FIVE PASSENGERS STRUCK THEIR HEADS ON THE OVERHEAD PASSENGER SERVICE UNITS CAUSING MINOR DAMAGE TO THREE OF THE UNITS AND MINOR INJURIES TO THE PASSENGERS. THREE ADDITIONAL PASSENGERS RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES DUE TO SEAT BELT STRAIN.THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT CONTACTED THE AIRCRAFT CEILING AND SUFFERED A BROKEN NOSE AND BROKEN LEFT WRIST.AFTER LANDING, SIX PERSONS (INCLUDING THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT) WERE TRANSPORTED TO LOCAL HOSPITALS AND SUBSEQUENTLY RELEASED. ALL 5 PASSENGERS WHO STRUCK THEIR HEADS ON THE PASSENGER SERVICE UNITS WERE 5'9" OR TALLER. FOR A PERSON WHO IS 5'9" TALL, THERE IS APPROXIMATELY 6" OF CLEARANCE BETWEEN TO TOP OF THE HEAD AND THE PASSENGER SERVICE UNIT ABOVE.SIGMET VICTOR 1 FOR REPORTED OCCASIONAL SEVERE TURBULENCE BETWEEN 14,000 FEET AND 24,000 FEET WAS IN EFFECT AT THE TIME OF THE TURBULENCE ENCOUNTER. ACCORDINGLY, THE COMPANY DISPATCHER FILED THE FLIGHT PLAN FOR 13,000 FEET. THE FLIGHT CREW, HOWEVER, ELECTED TO OPERATE THE FLIGHT AT 15,000 FEET BECAUSE OF CLIMB OUT REPORTS IN STL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.