United Airlines flight hits severe turbulence; four injured
     MINNEAPOLIS (September 14, 1997 11:04 p.m. EDT) -- A Tokyo-bound
 United Airlines flight hit severe turbulence about 20 minutes out of
 Chicago on Sunday, causing a flight attendant and three passengers
 to be injured.
     The Boeing 747 with 301 passengers and a crew of 18 left Chi-
 cago's O'Hare Airport at about 2:30 p.m. and made an emergency
 medical landing at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport
 an hour later.
     A passenger whose head struck an overhead storage bin and a
 flight attendant who injured her knee were taken to an area hospital
 for observation. Two passengers had minor injuries, the airline said.
     The cause of the turbulence was not immediately known, said Tony
 Molinaro, a spokesman for the Chicago-based airline.
     "It seems like it was something that was not expected," said
 Molinaro, adding that he believed the seat belt signs were off.
     Passengers were being put up for the night in the Minneapolis
 area until another crew arrived from Chicago to continue the nonstop
 flight Monday.
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     From my experience, clear air turbulance is never EXPECTED!
 It is often encountered along the edge of jet streams.  Jim
 ...
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