Narrative:

Location: approximately 85 mi west of lit on DALL5 departure procedure. Just prior to leveling off at FL330, at about FL327, we encountered moderate to severe rapid and instantaneous roll reversals and turbulence. We were in perfectly smooth air with no (zero) wind and not anywhere near the jetstream as forecasted. We were about 17 NM in trail with a heavy B767 that had previously overflown us in his after climb out and speed capability. We immediately requested and received clearance to FL290. All system and controls were normal. We strongly and obviously suspect that in the calm air, this heavy aircraft's vortices do not descend very fast -- if at all -- and at 17 mi in trail are only about 1 1/2 mins behind. I recommend that all operator's manuals be updated to reflect this wake/vortex behavior at altitude in smooth air, which is very similar to their behavior in smooth air at low altitude with anticipated separation. Wrote up the encounter in the logbook, and the aircraft was inspected and found airworthy. No injuries resulted to passenger or crew as the fasten seatbelt sign had just been turned off and the flight attendants responded quickly. Of course, during the encounter, the seatbelt sign was immediately turned back on. Supplemental information from acn 482222: I began a smooth descent and the ride greatly improved passing approximately FL315. We were in clear air at the time and the FMS winds were calm. Captain notified dispatcher. The air may have smoothed out if we had waited a bit, but then again it may have gotten a lot worse. It was time to get out of there now.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CLBING FK100 FLC ENCOUNTERS WAKE TURB 300 FT BELOW A B767-200 AND 17 MI IN TRAIL WITH CALM WINDS ALOFT 85 MI W OF LIT.

Narrative: LOCATION: APPROX 85 MI W OF LIT ON DALL5 DEP PROC. JUST PRIOR TO LEVELING OFF AT FL330, AT ABOUT FL327, WE ENCOUNTERED MODERATE TO SEVERE RAPID AND INSTANTANEOUS ROLL REVERSALS AND TURB. WE WERE IN PERFECTLY SMOOTH AIR WITH NO (ZERO) WIND AND NOT ANYWHERE NEAR THE JETSTREAM AS FORECASTED. WE WERE ABOUT 17 NM IN TRAIL WITH A HVY B767 THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY OVERFLOWN US IN HIS AFTER CLBOUT AND SPD CAPABILITY. WE IMMEDIATELY REQUESTED AND RECEIVED CLRNC TO FL290. ALL SYS AND CTLS WERE NORMAL. WE STRONGLY AND OBVIOUSLY SUSPECT THAT IN THE CALM AIR, THIS HVY ACFT'S VORTICES DO NOT DSND VERY FAST -- IF AT ALL -- AND AT 17 MI IN TRAIL ARE ONLY ABOUT 1 1/2 MINS BEHIND. I RECOMMEND THAT ALL OPERATOR'S MANUALS BE UPDATED TO REFLECT THIS WAKE/VORTEX BEHAVIOR AT ALT IN SMOOTH AIR, WHICH IS VERY SIMILAR TO THEIR BEHAVIOR IN SMOOTH AIR AT LOW ALT WITH ANTICIPATED SEPARATION. WROTE UP THE ENCOUNTER IN THE LOGBOOK, AND THE ACFT WAS INSPECTED AND FOUND AIRWORTHY. NO INJURIES RESULTED TO PAX OR CREW AS THE FASTEN SEATBELT SIGN HAD JUST BEEN TURNED OFF AND THE FLT ATTENDANTS RESPONDED QUICKLY. OF COURSE, DURING THE ENCOUNTER, THE SEATBELT SIGN WAS IMMEDIATELY TURNED BACK ON. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 482222: I BEGAN A SMOOTH DSCNT AND THE RIDE GREATLY IMPROVED PASSING APPROX FL315. WE WERE IN CLR AIR AT THE TIME AND THE FMS WINDS WERE CALM. CAPT NOTIFIED DISPATCHER. THE AIR MAY HAVE SMOOTHED OUT IF WE HAD WAITED A BIT, BUT THEN AGAIN IT MAY HAVE GOTTEN A LOT WORSE. IT WAS TIME TO GET OUT OF THERE NOW.

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.