Narrative:

After takeoff, we heard a report of moderate to severe turbulence in the vicinity of trm VOR. My recollection of the altitude given was 17000 ft to FL230. Expected to climb expeditiously above reported turbulence well before trm. ZLA had a great deal of traffic, however, and we were held down and climbed in stairstep fashion. After vectors across the sxc 061 degree radial, we were vectored on a 040 degree heading to rejoin the radial on the musel six departure, then vectored 105 degrees climbing to 17000 ft. Passenger and flight attendants were seated and warned of possible turbulence. Light chop began about 12000 ft. WX radar showed nothing extraordinary, light precipitation. Received climb to FL220, and at 17000 ft encountered moderate turbulence. At FL220 and 280 KTS encountered severe turbulence. Reported the turbulence and requested immediate climb. Received clearance direct trm VOR and climb to FL230. Climb clrncs thereafter were generally in 1000 ft increments. We asked for a vector to expedite climb and eventually got clearance to FL250 heading approximately 090 degrees. Broke out into clear and ride improved, but reentering clouds and encountered more moderate turbulence. Denied further climb, I advised the controller that I would be declaring an emergency shortly, and were cleared to FL260, which helped. Above FL280 ride was smooth. Continued uneventfully to den at FL410. No injuries. Wrote up aircraft for severe turbulence inspection. Problem appeared to be traffic unable to climb efficiently (rj's?). Aircraft unable to climb above the turbulence expeditiously might have been vectored west to alleviate the problem. Also other traffic may have been level at FL310, holding everyone else down in the turbulence. Controllers had too much traffic trying to penetrate that FL310 'barrier.' if the controllers had required aircraft to accept a climb as necessary in those circumstances it may have minimized leveling aircraft at altitudes of reported turbulence for extended periods.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 DEP FROM SNA ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURB AT FL220.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF, WE HEARD A RPT OF MODERATE TO SEVERE TURB IN THE VICINITY OF TRM VOR. MY RECOLLECTION OF THE ALT GIVEN WAS 17000 FT TO FL230. EXPECTED TO CLB EXPEDITIOUSLY ABOVE RPTED TURB WELL BEFORE TRM. ZLA HAD A GREAT DEAL OF TFC, HOWEVER, AND WE WERE HELD DOWN AND CLBED IN STAIRSTEP FASHION. AFTER VECTORS ACROSS THE SXC 061 DEG RADIAL, WE WERE VECTORED ON A 040 DEG HDG TO REJOIN THE RADIAL ON THE MUSEL SIX DEP, THEN VECTORED 105 DEGS CLBING TO 17000 FT. PAX AND FLT ATTENDANTS WERE SEATED AND WARNED OF POSSIBLE TURB. LIGHT CHOP BEGAN ABOUT 12000 FT. WX RADAR SHOWED NOTHING EXTRAORDINARY, LIGHT PRECIPITATION. RECEIVED CLB TO FL220, AND AT 17000 FT ENCOUNTERED MODERATE TURB. AT FL220 AND 280 KTS ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURB. RPTED THE TURB AND REQUESTED IMMEDIATE CLB. RECEIVED CLRNC DIRECT TRM VOR AND CLB TO FL230. CLB CLRNCS THEREAFTER WERE GENERALLY IN 1000 FT INCREMENTS. WE ASKED FOR A VECTOR TO EXPEDITE CLB AND EVENTUALLY GOT CLRNC TO FL250 HEADING APPROX 090 DEGS. BROKE OUT INTO CLR AND RIDE IMPROVED, BUT REENTERING CLOUDS AND ENCOUNTERED MORE MODERATE TURB. DENIED FURTHER CLB, I ADVISED THE CTLR THAT I WOULD BE DECLARING AN EMER SHORTLY, AND WERE CLRED TO FL260, WHICH HELPED. ABOVE FL280 RIDE WAS SMOOTH. CONTINUED UNEVENTFULLY TO DEN AT FL410. NO INJURIES. WROTE UP ACFT FOR SEVERE TURB INSPECTION. PROB APPEARED TO BE TFC UNABLE TO CLB EFFICIENTLY (RJ'S?). ACFT UNABLE TO CLB ABOVE THE TURB EXPEDITIOUSLY MIGHT HAVE BEEN VECTORED W TO ALLEVIATE THE PROB. ALSO OTHER TFC MAY HAVE BEEN LEVEL AT FL310, HOLDING EVERYONE ELSE DOWN IN THE TURB. CTLRS HAD TOO MUCH TFC TRYING TO PENETRATE THAT FL310 'BARRIER.' IF THE CTLRS HAD REQUIRED ACFT TO ACCEPT A CLB AS NECESSARY IN THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES IT MAY HAVE MINIMIZED LEVELING ACFT AT ALTS OF RPTED TURB FOR EXTENDED PERIODS.

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.