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B737-200 aircraft encountered severe turbulence in cruise and was unable to contact controller for clearance to lower altitude. Captain descended using emergency authority/authorized and entered warning area.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 398343 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199804 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : chs |
| State Reference | SC |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 24000 msl bound upper : 27000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zjx |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-200 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other descent other other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 7000 |
| ASRS Report | 398343 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : declared emergency |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Weather |
Narrative:
On apr/xa/98 heading northbound from jax to bwi, we approached an area of WX, cold front moving west to east with no solid line. Airborne radar showed thunderstorm cells to be widely scattered. At XA35 local, we encountered severe clear air turbulence at FL270 and radioed to ZJX that we needed a lower altitude. The controller was very busy with other traffic in her sector, and told us to stand by. We called her again and told her we were descending now out of FL270. She told us we were entering an active military warning area and to squawk emergency and maintain FL240. At XA40 local, we were given our original squawk back and proceeded with our flight to bwi. I believe the situation could have been resolved before we initiated an emergency descent if the controller wasn't overloaded with work in her sector.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B737-200 ACFT ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURB IN CRUISE AND WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT CTLR FOR CLRNC TO LOWER ALT. CAPT DSNDED USING EMER AUTH AND ENTERED WARNING AREA.
Narrative: ON APR/XA/98 HDG NBOUND FROM JAX TO BWI, WE APCHED AN AREA OF WX, COLD FRONT MOVING W TO E WITH NO SOLID LINE. AIRBORNE RADAR SHOWED TSTM CELLS TO BE WIDELY SCATTERED. AT XA35 LCL, WE ENCOUNTERED SEVERE CLR AIR TURB AT FL270 AND RADIOED TO ZJX THAT WE NEEDED A LOWER ALT. THE CTLR WAS VERY BUSY WITH OTHER TFC IN HER SECTOR, AND TOLD US TO STAND BY. WE CALLED HER AGAIN AND TOLD HER WE WERE DSNDING NOW OUT OF FL270. SHE TOLD US WE WERE ENTERING AN ACTIVE MIL WARNING AREA AND TO SQUAWK EMER AND MAINTAIN FL240. AT XA40 LCL, WE WERE GIVEN OUR ORIGINAL SQUAWK BACK AND PROCEEDED WITH OUR FLT TO BWI. I BELIEVE THE SIT COULD HAVE BEEN RESOLVED BEFORE WE INITIATED AN EMER DSCNT IF THE CTLR WASN'T OVERLOADED WITH WORK IN HER SECTOR.
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.