Air carrier encountered possible severe turbulence during descent to land at slc, ut.

Attributes
ACN	544668
Time
Date	200204
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : slc.airport
State Reference	UT
Altitude	msl single value : 10000
Environment
Weather Elements	Turbulence
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : s56.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time type : 824
ASRS Report	544668
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe inflight encounter : turbulence inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : regained aircraft control flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

While descending on a left base to runway 34R at slc, flight encountered severe turbulence. Aircraft was at approximately 10000 ft in a descending turn 10 NM south of slc at 170 KTS, flaps 10 degrees, landing gear extended. As flaps 15 degrees was selected, turbulence was encountered. Aircraft was in command, heading select and MCP speed. Aircraft rolled sharply left and right. Heading select disconnected to control wheel steering roll. Airspeed rose to 198 KTS and then dropped to 145 KTS. Autoplt was disconnected and flaps 25 degrees was selected. Aircraft rolled several times requiring near full deflection to control. Turbulence and rolling movement ended at approximately 7000 ft. Remainder of approach was light winds. This event may have been a rotor wind encounter.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR ENCOUNTERED POSSIBLE SEVERE TURB DURING DSCNT TO LAND AT SLC, UT.

Narrative: WHILE DSNDING ON A L BASE TO RWY 34R AT SLC, FLT ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURB. ACFT WAS AT APPROX 10000 FT IN A DSNDING TURN 10 NM S OF SLC AT 170 KTS, FLAPS 10 DEGS, LNDG GEAR EXTENDED. AS FLAPS 15 DEGS WAS SELECTED, TURB WAS ENCOUNTERED. ACFT WAS IN COMMAND, HDG SELECT AND MCP SPD. ACFT ROLLED SHARPLY L AND R. HDG SELECT DISCONNECTED TO CTL WHEEL STEERING ROLL. AIRSPD ROSE TO 198 KTS AND THEN DROPPED TO 145 KTS. AUTOPLT WAS DISCONNECTED AND FLAPS 25 DEGS WAS SELECTED. ACFT ROLLED SEVERAL TIMES REQUIRING NEAR FULL DEFLECTION TO CTL. TURB AND ROLLING MOVEMENT ENDED AT APPROX 7000 FT. REMAINDER OF APCH WAS LIGHT WINDS. THIS EVENT MAY HAVE BEEN A ROTOR WIND ENCOUNTER.

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.