IAD96LA058

The pilots reported that the airplane was in cruise flight at 31,000 feet msl, when it encountered an area of unexpected severe turbulence. They indicated that the flight had been uneventful and smooth prior to the brief turbulence encounter. During the turbulence encounter, one of the aisle carts became airborne and struck a flight attendant's leg when it landed. There was no forecast for turbulence along the airplane's planned route of flight.

On April 7, 1996 at about 2000 eastern daylight time, a Boeing 757-223, N653A, operated by American Airlines as Flight 935, encountered severe turbulence while in cruise flight at 31,000 feet mean sea level (msl,) approximately 300 miles west southwest of Bermuda. The airplane sustained no damage, and the two pilots, four flight attendants and 187 passengers reported no injuries. One flight attendant received a serious injury. The airplane diverted to Bermuda and landed without further incident. The international passenger flight was being operated under 14 CFR Part 121, and operated on an IFR flight plan. The flight originated from John F. Kennedy International Airport, in New York, New York, at 1903, with an intended destination of Caracas, Venezuela.

The pilots reported that the flight had been uneventful and smooth, until the unexpected encounter with severe turbulence. Company personnel indicated that during the brief encounter with turbulence, one of the aisle carts became airborne and struck a flight attendant's leg when it came back down to the floor. The flight attendant received a leg fracture. There were no other reported injuries. There was no forecast for turbulence for the planned route of flight.