16 Injured When Jetliner Hits Turbulence

Severe turbulence rocked an American Airlines flight over Colorado Thursday, throwing passengers out of their seats and injuring 16 people on board, including a 7-month-old child.

Another flight had a bouncy ride over the mountains about an hour later, forcing the plane to make an unscheduled stop to bring an injured flight attendant to the hospital.

American spokesman John Hotard said there were no storms in the area but there had been reports of turbulence in the region, so seat-belt sign was on when the first plane, an MD-80, began bouncing at 24,000 feet over south-central Colorado.

“It just slammed me into the ceiling. It was like someone had planted a bomb under the seat,” said Chris Richey of Nashville, whose head struck the overhead so hard, he broke a reading light. He was not wearing a seat belt.

The twin-engine jet was flying with 69 passengers and five crew members from Dallas-Fort Worth to Salt Lake City when it hit the turbulence.

Most of the injured, 14 passengers and two crew members, suffered minor head and neck injuries, bruises and cuts. Eleven were taken by ambulance to local hospitals, where most were treated and released.

The injured infant, Jacob Converse of Tooele, Utah, was treated for a minor head injury. His mother, Terra Converse, was unhurt.

The pilot and co-pilot were wearing seat belts and were not hurt. Richey said he and his wife, who hurt her head and neck, were not wearing seat belts. It was not immediately known if the other injured passengers also were unbelted.

“All of a sudden the plane felt like it was dropping out of the air,” Richey said from hospital where he and his wife were treated. “We’re just very sore.”