What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 11/24/2014, united airlines flight 1179, srq-ord, a B-737 type aircraft, encountered severe turbulence in cruise flight resulting in a serious injury to a flight attendant. The flight had just switched ATC controllers while in cruise flight at FL340 near Valdosta, VORTAC, Valdosta, Georgia. While deviating around a cell with green radar returns, ATC reported an aircraft ahead experienced moderate turbulence. The seatbelt sign had already been illuminated prior to the ATC turbulence report being received. Upon hearing of the ATC report, the captain called the forward flight attendant on the interphone and directed them to suspend service and take their jump seats. The forward flight attendant walked back to the main cabin and communicated this information to the other flight attendants. The flight attendants stated they began to move the service carts to the aft galley. Subsequently, the first officer made a pa announcement to the passengers explaining the expected turbulence and also directing the flight attendants to be seated immediately. While in the process of making the pa announcement severe turbulence was encountered. The encounter resulted in a flight attendant sustaining fractured vertebrae.
As the FAA filed it
ON 11/24/2014, UNITED AIRLINES FLIGHT 1179, SRQ-ORD, A B-737 TYPE AIRCRAFT, ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURBULENCE IN CRUISE FLIGHT RESULTING IN A SERIOUS INJURY TO A FLIGHT ATTENDANT. THE FLIGHT HAD JUST SWITCHED ATC CONTROLLERS WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT FL340 NEAR VALDOSTA, VORTAC, VALDOSTA, GEORGIA. WHILE DEVIATING AROUND A CELL WITH GREEN RADAR RETURNS, ATC REPORTED AN AIRCRAFT AHEAD EXPERIENCED MODERATE TURBULENCE. THE SEATBELT SIGN HAD ALREADY BEEN ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO THE ATC TURBULENCE REPORT BEING RECEIVED. UPON HEARING OF THE ATC REPORT, THE CAPTAIN CALLED THE FORWARD FLIGHT ATTENDANT ON THE INTERPHONE AND DIRECTED THEM TO SUSPEND SERVICE AND TAKE THEIR JUMP SEATS. THE FORWARD FLIGHT ATTENDANT WALKED BACK TO THE MAIN CABIN AND COMMUNICATED THIS INFORMATION TO THE OTHER FLIGHT ATTENDANTS. THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS STATED THEY BEGAN TO MOVE THE SERVICE CARTS TO THE AFT GALLEY. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE FIRST OFFICER MADE A PA ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE PASSENGERS EXPLAINING THE EXPECTED TURBULENCE AND ALSO DIRECTING THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS TO BE SEATED IMMEDIATELY. WHILE IN THE PROCESS OF MAKING THE PA ANNOUNCEMENT SEVERE TURBULENCE WAS ENCOUNTERED. THE ENCOUNTER RESULTED IN A FLIGHT ATTENDANT SUSTAINING FRACTURED VERTEBRAE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.