Challenger 650
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Situational Awareness
Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Illness / Injury; Inflight Event / Encounter Wake Vortex Encounter
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; Flight Crew Landed As Precaution; Flight Crew Diverted; General Physical Injury / Incapacitation
Environment - Non Weather Related; Procedure
The event occurred approximately: 30 into our 91K flight with 7 adult passengers. We were level at FL340 in clear; smooth air at M.80. ISA was +10 and winds were 0. I was the Pilot Flying. The passenger seat belt sign was off. It was completely smooth and all of a sudden the airplane started to shudder and then quickly rolled left and back to the right. It also pitched up and down as it rolled. The autopilot was on so I grabbed the controls; disconnected it and tried to stabilize our flight path as the airplane continued to pitch and roll. I also scanned the instrumentation to try to determine the cause. At first I thought we might be experiencing an engine issue because I momentarily saw a loss of oil press from the right engine (negative g).It was over almost as soon as it began (estimate less than 10 seconds) and we determined there were no abnormalities with the aircraft. We were approximately 800 lower than our cruise altitude and I eased the airplane back up and re-engaged the autopilot. That's when we determined that it must have been wake turbulence. We then noticed an airplane at our altitude approximately 8 miles ahead. We reported the wake encounter and asked for a higher altitude to avoid another encounter. We then climbed to FL360. ATC reported we were in trail of an A300.The flight attended reported there were injuries; but we hadn't determined how severe. With the situation stabilized; I gave controls to the First Officer and went into the cabin to check on the passengers. Everything was thrown about and there was glass everywhere. Two ladies were injured. One had a large bump on her forehead and another lady stated her leg was hurt.I returned to the cockpit and as a crew; we made the decision to divert to the nearest suitable airport. I called the company to advise and conducted an en route change in destination.We notified ATC of our divert.[The alternate] was VFR and the descent and landing was uneventful.EMT met the aircraft and attended to the two injured passengers; transporting them to the local hospital.
At cruise altitude; we experienced what we believed to be wake turbulence from an aircraft which was at our same altitude 7-8 miles in front of us traveling in the same direction. We experienced left and right bank angles up to approximately 40 degrees; as well as up and down pitch angles up to 15 degrees. Passengers and flight attendant sustained injuries. A decision to land at the nearest airport to seek medical assistance was made. Medical assistance was requested through ATC upon landing at our diversion airport. Two passengers as well as the Flight Attendant sought medical attention at the local hospital after landing.
CL-650 flight crew reported deviating to an alternate airport after a wake turbulence encounter at FL340 7-8 miles in trail of an A300 that resulted in multiple minor injuries.