Narrative:

At 23000 ft aircraft encountered severe turbulence. Aircraft began maneuvering so violently that autoplt was disengaged. A rate of climb in excess of 6000 FPM was finally arrested at 24300 ft. An emergency was declared with ZID and a descent started to 13000 ft. At approximately 105 NM from louisville VOR, the aircraft emerged from the clouds and the emergency was terminated with center. During all of this, the radar appeared to be operating normally and, at all times, showed us to be at least 20 NM from the nearest thunderstorm echo. We were transiting a severe WX area. In hindsight, canceling the flight or giving the severe WX area a wider berth should have been given some serious consideration.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG ENCOUNTERS SEVERE TURB AT CRUISE. DECLARES EMER.

Narrative: AT 23000 FT ACFT ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURB. ACFT BEGAN MANEUVERING SO VIOLENTLY THAT AUTOPLT WAS DISENGAGED. A RATE OF CLB IN EXCESS OF 6000 FPM WAS FINALLY ARRESTED AT 24300 FT. AN EMER WAS DECLARED WITH ZID AND A DSCNT STARTED TO 13000 FT. AT APPROX 105 NM FROM LOUISVILLE VOR, THE ACFT EMERGED FROM THE CLOUDS AND THE EMER WAS TERMINATED WITH CTR. DURING ALL OF THIS, THE RADAR APPEARED TO BE OPERATING NORMALLY AND, AT ALL TIMES, SHOWED US TO BE AT LEAST 20 NM FROM THE NEAREST TSTM ECHO. WE WERE TRANSITING A SEVERE WX AREA. IN HINDSIGHT, CANCELING THE FLT OR GIVING THE SEVERE WX AREA A WIDER BERTH SHOULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN SOME SERIOUS CONSIDERATION.

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.