A319 crew encountered severe turbulence in ZLA class a.

Attributes
ACN	544820
Time
Date	200204
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : las.airport
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 37000 msl bound upper : 38500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	Turbulence other
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A319
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	544820
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : turbulence inflight encounter other non adherence : clearance other anomaly other anomaly
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : altitude alert other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist flight crew : regained aircraft control none taken : unable other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

We encountered unrpted severe turbulence at FL370 at approximately XA15 on apr/mon/02. At 10 NM from nearest clouds, aircraft was not controllable, and was lifted to FL385, with speed decay from .79 mach to .71 mach, before control was regained. No previous reports of severe turbulence that morning. ATC was quick to respond to our 'severe' call, and cleared us to FL330, but it was about 30 seconds before the aircraft could be controled and flown to that altitude. No problems with other traffic, but had other traffic been in the area, we would not have been able to avoid them. Traffic behind us responded 'moderate.' suggest ATC automatically provide pilots of known or suspected moderate/severe turbulence upon check-in.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A319 CREW ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURB IN ZLA CLASS A.

Narrative: WE ENCOUNTERED UNRPTED SEVERE TURB AT FL370 AT APPROX XA15 ON APR/MON/02. AT 10 NM FROM NEAREST CLOUDS, ACFT WAS NOT CONTROLLABLE, AND WAS LIFTED TO FL385, WITH SPD DECAY FROM .79 MACH TO .71 MACH, BEFORE CTL WAS REGAINED. NO PREVIOUS RPTS OF SEVERE TURB THAT MORNING. ATC WAS QUICK TO RESPOND TO OUR 'SEVERE' CALL, AND CLRED US TO FL330, BUT IT WAS ABOUT 30 SECONDS BEFORE THE ACFT COULD BE CTLED AND FLOWN TO THAT ALT. NO PROBS WITH OTHER TFC, BUT HAD OTHER TFC BEEN IN THE AREA, WE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO AVOID THEM. TFC BEHIND US RESPONDED 'MODERATE.' SUGGEST ATC AUTOMATICALLY PROVIDE PLTS OF KNOWN OR SUSPECTED MODERATE/SEVERE TURB UPON CHK-IN.

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.