Small aircraft pilot encounters severe turbulence in IMC conditions and loses control of aircraft, r...

Attributes
ACN	135330
Time
Date	199001
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : gsp
State Reference	SC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : gsp
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	departure other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 1600 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	135330
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
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 : exited adverse environment flight crew : regained aircraft control
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I took off in a heavy rainstorm from runway 18 at greenville downtown airport for an IFR flight to hendersonville, nc. The course was to be due north (360 degree) at 5000' MSL. As soon as my wheels left the runway I was in mod turbulence and when I entered the overcast (total IMC) at 400-500' MSL, the turbulence became severe. ATC gave a course of 270 degree and then a little later 250 degree. They apparently assigned an altitude of 3000'. During the climb out I experienced extreme difficulty controling the airplane because of the severe turbulence. Visibility was zero and I was totally dependent on instruments to maintain some kind of reasonable flight attitude. The turbulence caused large bank angles right and left, alternate climbs and dives, which I had to continually counteract. The stall warning went off on at least 2 occasions as a result of the abnormal attitudes which occurred. During this time period (estimated 5-10 mins) my preoccupation with controling the airplane caused me to exceed the assigned altitude (3000') by a significant amount. Upon realizing this I brought the aircraft back to 3000' and maintained that altitude. The severe turbulence and zero visibility continued. Finally ATC assigned the planned altitude of 5000' and course of 310 degree. The turbulence continued during this climb but then gradually diminished as I continued on the more northerly course. I estimate I was in severe turbulence for a total of 15 mins. The flight then continued without further incident to completion in hendersonville, nc.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT ENCOUNTERS SEVERE TURBULENCE IN IMC CONDITIONS AND LOSES CTL OF ACFT, RESULTING IN ALT EXCURSIONS AND VARIATIONS IN HEADING.

Narrative: I TOOK OFF IN A HEAVY RAINSTORM FROM RWY 18 AT GREENVILLE DOWNTOWN ARPT FOR AN IFR FLT TO HENDERSONVILLE, NC. THE COURSE WAS TO BE DUE N (360 DEG) AT 5000' MSL. AS SOON AS MY WHEELS LEFT THE RWY I WAS IN MOD TURBULENCE AND WHEN I ENTERED THE OVERCAST (TOTAL IMC) AT 400-500' MSL, THE TURBULENCE BECAME SEVERE. ATC GAVE A COURSE OF 270 DEG AND THEN A LITTLE LATER 250 DEG. THEY APPARENTLY ASSIGNED AN ALT OF 3000'. DURING THE CLIMB OUT I EXPERIENCED EXTREME DIFFICULTY CTLING THE AIRPLANE BECAUSE OF THE SEVERE TURBULENCE. VISIBILITY WAS ZERO AND I WAS TOTALLY DEPENDENT ON INSTRUMENTS TO MAINTAIN SOME KIND OF REASONABLE FLT ATTITUDE. THE TURBULENCE CAUSED LARGE BANK ANGLES RIGHT AND LEFT, ALTERNATE CLIMBS AND DIVES, WHICH I HAD TO CONTINUALLY COUNTERACT. THE STALL WARNING WENT OFF ON AT LEAST 2 OCCASIONS AS A RESULT OF THE ABNORMAL ATTITUDES WHICH OCCURRED. DURING THIS TIME PERIOD (ESTIMATED 5-10 MINS) MY PREOCCUPATION WITH CTLING THE AIRPLANE CAUSED ME TO EXCEED THE ASSIGNED ALT (3000') BY A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT. UPON REALIZING THIS I BROUGHT THE ACFT BACK TO 3000' AND MAINTAINED THAT ALT. THE SEVERE TURBULENCE AND ZERO VISIBILITY CONTINUED. FINALLY ATC ASSIGNED THE PLANNED ALT OF 5000' AND COURSE OF 310 DEG. THE TURBULENCE CONTINUED DURING THIS CLIMB BUT THEN GRADUALLY DIMINISHED AS I CONTINUED ON THE MORE NORTHERLY COURSE. I ESTIMATE I WAS IN SEVERE TURBULENCE FOR A TOTAL OF 15 MINS. THE FLT THEN CONTINUED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT TO COMPLETION IN HENDERSONVILLE, NC.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.

Small aircraft pilot encounters severe turbulence in IMC conditions and loses control of aircraft, resulting in altitude excursions and variations in heading.