B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 211; Flight Crew Type 5086
Workload; Physiological - Other; Time Pressure
Deviation - Speed All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Illness / Injury; Inflight Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Flight Crew Diverted; Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; Flight Crew Regained Aircraft Control; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; General Physical Injury / Incapacitation
Weather
We were in the descent around 30;000 FT; in IMC. Clouds were thin cirrus. There were T-storms about 20-25 miles to the right; east of us. They were all that showed on the aircraft radar. The flight had been uneventful in all ways. No turbulence was reported or experienced until the event. Then the aircraft experienced instantaneous severe turbulence for about 5 seconds. It felt like hitting pot holes in a fast car with no shocks. Worst episode I have encountered in 34 years of flying. The autopilot roll mode disengaged due to the severity of the event. Aircraft control was impossible for those 5 seconds. I lowered my head to avoid possible impact with ceiling and watched the instruments. Aircraft descended and banked left 20-25 degrees. Speed remained constant around 300 KTS. No stall warning; no overspeed clacker but when the turbulence stopped and I tried to level the plane I realized the autopilot was in CWS (Control Wheel Steering). I disengaged the autopilot; regained control of the aircraft and re-engaged it. Then we called the cabin crew to assess any injuries. Next we informed ATC of the event. We asked for medical services to meet us at the gate. We got direct clearance to short final and I kept the speed up. I flew 270 KTS for a bit below 10;000 ft. We sent ACARS messages to dispatch in reference to the event. No further turbulence was encountered and the remainder of the flight was uneventful. We were too close to [destination airport] to consider medlink or a divert with the injuries the Flight Attendants described to us. All crew members performed very well.
[Report narrative contained no additional information.]
A B737 encountered severe turbulence with loss of control and cabin injuries at FL300.