Narrative:

Location: heatt/10 NM. At 16000 ft we were cleared to hold at heat intersection as depicted. We observed on radar a cell that existed at or just south of heat. We requested permission to hold 10 mi north of heat which appeared to be clear of WX. Another aircraft requested the same clearance. As we approached our new holding fix, we noticed the airspeed dropping from our selected airspeed of 210 KTS (autoplt and autothrottle coupled). We immediately advanced the throttles. 2 or 3 seconds later we felt turbulence building followed by sharp changes in pitch attitude and roll. As this transpired, we applied maximum (firewall) power and controled roll with rudder and flew approximately 20 degrees nose up, still losing approximately 4000 ft by the exit point. The event lasted 15-20 seconds.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN A300 LOSES CTL OF ACFT WHEN IT ENCOUNTERS A TSTM IN A HOLDING PATTERN NEAR MIA. 4000 FT OF ALT IS LOST DURING EVENT.

Narrative: LOCATION: HEATT/10 NM. AT 16000 FT WE WERE CLRED TO HOLD AT HEAT INTXN AS DEPICTED. WE OBSERVED ON RADAR A CELL THAT EXISTED AT OR JUST S OF HEAT. WE REQUESTED PERMISSION TO HOLD 10 MI N OF HEAT WHICH APPEARED TO BE CLR OF WX. ANOTHER ACFT REQUESTED THE SAME CLRNC. AS WE APCHED OUR NEW HOLDING FIX, WE NOTICED THE AIRSPD DROPPING FROM OUR SELECTED AIRSPD OF 210 KTS (AUTOPLT AND AUTOTHROTTLE COUPLED). WE IMMEDIATELY ADVANCED THE THROTTLES. 2 OR 3 SECONDS LATER WE FELT TURB BUILDING FOLLOWED BY SHARP CHANGES IN PITCH ATTITUDE AND ROLL. AS THIS TRANSPIRED, WE APPLIED MAX (FIREWALL) PWR AND CTLED ROLL WITH RUDDER AND FLEW APPROX 20 DEGS NOSE UP, STILL LOSING APPROX 4000 FT BY THE EXIT POINT. THE EVENT LASTED 15-20 SECONDS.

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.