Light transport crew encounters thunderstorm after departure from ags.

Attributes
ACN	443409
Time
Date	199907
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ags.airport
State Reference	GA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 23000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm Turbulence Windshear Ice Rain
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl.artcc tracon : ags.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Light Transport
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : charter
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	443409
Person 2
Affiliation	company : charter
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : turbulence inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other non adherence : clearance other anomaly
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : regained aircraft control
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft ATC Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

Augusta (ags) was using runway 17. WX (thunderstorms) were south of the airport and we were painting it on radar. After departure, we asked for turn to the northwest, and received that and a climb to FL180. At approximately 9000 ft AGL, we went IMC and experienced rain and moderate turbulence. We stopped painting WX as we rolled out on a 330 degree heading, but were still IMC, and began to get more severe turbulence. We asked for a higher altitude but the controller said we had lost mode C. At this point, we were unable to maintain altitude (FL180) due to updrafts in excess of 4000 FPM. We were encountering moderate ice (rime) and moderate to severe turbulence. We relayed this to ATC and asked for a turn when able (further north). The updrafts lessened after approximately 2-3 mins, but they had pushed us to FL220. We were then asked by ATC if and when we could turn left on course, and given FL230. About 2 mins later we began to break out, and were able to resume course south to pie (destination) and given direct heading. The radar equipment was apparently functioning properly. Upon landing at pie, we discovered that the nose cone had been damaged by hail. We believe that we had responded to this situation as well as possible, maintaining airspeed, heading, and not trying to chase altitude. The updrafts were excessive. All ice protection had been turned on, but the radar signature was probably interfered with due to the damaged nose cone. Our WX briefing from FSS had suggested a northwest course to avoid these storms, and with radar we took that course, not knowing that the radar had possibly malfunctioned.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LTT CREW ENCOUNTERS TSTM AFTER DEP FROM AGS.

Narrative: AUGUSTA (AGS) WAS USING RWY 17. WX (TSTMS) WERE S OF THE ARPT AND WE WERE PAINTING IT ON RADAR. AFTER DEP, WE ASKED FOR TURN TO THE NW, AND RECEIVED THAT AND A CLB TO FL180. AT APPROX 9000 FT AGL, WE WENT IMC AND EXPERIENCED RAIN AND MODERATE TURB. WE STOPPED PAINTING WX AS WE ROLLED OUT ON A 330 DEG HDG, BUT WERE STILL IMC, AND BEGAN TO GET MORE SEVERE TURB. WE ASKED FOR A HIGHER ALT BUT THE CTLR SAID WE HAD LOST MODE C. AT THIS POINT, WE WERE UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALT (FL180) DUE TO UPDRAFTS IN EXCESS OF 4000 FPM. WE WERE ENCOUNTERING MODERATE ICE (RIME) AND MODERATE TO SEVERE TURB. WE RELAYED THIS TO ATC AND ASKED FOR A TURN WHEN ABLE (FURTHER N). THE UPDRAFTS LESSENED AFTER APPROX 2-3 MINS, BUT THEY HAD PUSHED US TO FL220. WE WERE THEN ASKED BY ATC IF AND WHEN WE COULD TURN L ON COURSE, AND GIVEN FL230. ABOUT 2 MINS LATER WE BEGAN TO BREAK OUT, AND WERE ABLE TO RESUME COURSE S TO PIE (DEST) AND GIVEN DIRECT HEADING. THE RADAR EQUIP WAS APPARENTLY FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. UPON LNDG AT PIE, WE DISCOVERED THAT THE NOSE CONE HAD BEEN DAMAGED BY HAIL. WE BELIEVE THAT WE HAD RESPONDED TO THIS SIT AS WELL AS POSSIBLE, MAINTAINING AIRSPD, HEADING, AND NOT TRYING TO CHASE ALT. THE UPDRAFTS WERE EXCESSIVE. ALL ICE PROTECTION HAD BEEN TURNED ON, BUT THE RADAR SIGNATURE WAS PROBABLY INTERFERED WITH DUE TO THE DAMAGED NOSE CONE. OUR WX BRIEFING FROM FSS HAD SUGGESTED A NW COURSE TO AVOID THESE STORMS, AND WITH RADAR WE TOOK THAT COURSE, NOT KNOWING THAT THE RADAR HAD POSSIBLY MALFUNCTIONED.

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.