Air carrier widebody transport encounters severe turbulence enroute hawaii and is forced to leave altitude and track prior to receiving ATC clearance.

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Attributes
ACN	130863
Time
Date	198912
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : hnl
State Reference	HI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : pacific enroute : other oceanic enroute airway : r464 enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 12500 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	130863
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Due to severe turbulence and difficulty in controling the aircraft at FL350, a descent was made prior to receiving ATC clearance. Although I had requested a descent clearance some 5 mins prior to this incident, communications between commercial radio, ATC and the aircraft are cumbersome and time consuming. I felt the safety of the aircraft and those on board was somewhat in jeopardy, and thus initiated this descent. The aircraft was turned off the arwy and a call made to all stations on 121.5. Additionally a call was made to sfo advising them of our intentions. During the process of descending a clearance to FL310 was received from ATC. More expeditious clrncs and better communications would be a great help in preventing this type of occurrence.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WDB ENCOUNTERS SEVERE TURBULENCE ENROUTE HAWAII AND IS FORCED TO LEAVE ALT AND TRACK PRIOR TO RECEIVING ATC CLRNC.

Narrative: DUE TO SEVERE TURB AND DIFFICULTY IN CTLING THE ACFT AT FL350, A DSCNT WAS MADE PRIOR TO RECEIVING ATC CLRNC. ALTHOUGH I HAD REQUESTED A DSCNT CLRNC SOME 5 MINS PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT, COMS BTWN COMMERCIAL RADIO, ATC AND THE ACFT ARE CUMBERSOME AND TIME CONSUMING. I FELT THE SAFETY OF THE ACFT AND THOSE ON BOARD WAS SOMEWHAT IN JEOPARDY, AND THUS INITIATED THIS DSCNT. THE ACFT WAS TURNED OFF THE ARWY AND A CALL MADE TO ALL STATIONS ON 121.5. ADDITIONALLY A CALL WAS MADE TO SFO ADVISING THEM OF OUR INTENTIONS. DURING THE PROCESS OF DSNDING A CLRNC TO FL310 WAS RECEIVED FROM ATC. MORE EXPEDITIOUS CLRNCS AND BETTER COMS WOULD BE A GREAT HELP IN PREVENTING THIS TYPE OF OCCURRENCE.

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.