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Small aircraft on IFR flight plan encountered severe up and downdrafts. Unable to hold assigned altitude.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 120743 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198908 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : hfd |
| State Reference | CT |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 6500 msl bound upper : 7000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : hfd |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : private |
| ASRS Report | 120743 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : handoff position |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather other anomaly |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Weather |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
While attempting to deviate around thunderstorm build-up, entered area of strong up and downdrafts. Downdrafts in particular were severe and greatly exceeded aircraft ability to climb through them. Altitude deviation of 500' occurred as a result. ATC was informed of inability to maintain altitude, and later when stable flight was obtained.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: SMA ON IFR FLT PLAN ENCOUNTERED SEVERE UP AND DOWNDRAFTS. UNABLE TO HOLD ASSIGNED ALT.
Narrative: WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DEVIATE AROUND TSTM BUILD-UP, ENTERED AREA OF STRONG UP AND DOWNDRAFTS. DOWNDRAFTS IN PARTICULAR WERE SEVERE AND GREATLY EXCEEDED ACFT ABILITY TO CLB THROUGH THEM. ALT DEVIATION OF 500' OCCURRED AS A RESULT. ATC WAS INFORMED OF INABILITY TO MAINTAIN ALT, AND LATER WHEN STABLE FLT WAS OBTAINED.
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.