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Reporter flight was unable to maintain assigned IFR altitude due to unexpected encounter with a thunderstorm cell and resulting updraft.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 107882 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198903 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : sby |
| State Reference | MD |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 6500 msl bound upper : 6500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : nhk |
| Operator | general aviation : corporate |
| Make Model Name | Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : nhk |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 7800 flight time type : 900 |
| ASRS Report | 107882 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other anomaly |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : regained aircraft control none taken : unable |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
While cruising at 6000' in IMC, rain, heavy rain, lighting, and into an area of developing embedded thunderstorms, the aircraft (small transport) penetrated a cell and the aircraft altitude increased 500' while I held at 10 degree nose down pitch and reduced power. I basically felt that I could not control the altitude, briefly, and would have to 'ride out' the cell updraft. Rate of climb was at 2000 FPM in the updraft. At the time I had been deviating around other cells and center (approach) advised a southeast heading away from the developing cells; airway heading is ssw. I feel that attenuation of my radar in the heavy rain 'masked out' the cell I flew into. Avoiding the area would have been wise in hindsight, but the violent WX was largely unforecast.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: REPORTER FLT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ASSIGNED IFR ALT DUE TO UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER WITH A TSTM CELL AND RESULTING UPDRAFT.
Narrative: WHILE CRUISING AT 6000' IN IMC, RAIN, HEAVY RAIN, LIGHTING, AND INTO AN AREA OF DEVELOPING EMBEDDED TSTMS, THE ACFT (SMT) PENETRATED A CELL AND THE ACFT ALT INCREASED 500' WHILE I HELD AT 10 DEG NOSE DOWN PITCH AND REDUCED PWR. I BASICALLY FELT THAT I COULD NOT CONTROL THE ALT, BRIEFLY, AND WOULD HAVE TO 'RIDE OUT' THE CELL UPDRAFT. RATE OF CLB WAS AT 2000 FPM IN THE UPDRAFT. AT THE TIME I HAD BEEN DEVIATING AROUND OTHER CELLS AND CENTER (APCH) ADVISED A SE HDG AWAY FROM THE DEVELOPING CELLS; AIRWAY HDG IS SSW. I FEEL THAT ATTENUATION OF MY RADAR IN THE HEAVY RAIN 'MASKED OUT' THE CELL I FLEW INTO. AVOIDING THE AREA WOULD HAVE BEEN WISE IN HINDSIGHT, BUT THE VIOLENT WX WAS LARGELY UNFORECAST.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.