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TL2000 pilot encounters severe turbulence and mountain wave. Altitude loss was 3000 ft prior to recovery.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 684752 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200601 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : abq.vortac |
| State Reference | NM |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 6500 msl bound upper : 9500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Weather Elements | Turbulence |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zab.artcc tracon : abq.tracon |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Ultralight |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 18600 flight time type : 10 |
| ASRS Report | 684752 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : turbulence other anomaly |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : regained aircraft control flight crew : landed as precaution |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Weather |
| Primary Problem | Weather |
Narrative:
I was ferrying a light sport aircraft (sting sport) TL2000. Some distance east of abq; I asked center what would be a good crossing altitude for the ridge just east of abq international and for their traffic. At the time I was at 8500 ft. They suggested 9500 ft and switched me to abq approach. Approach advised me to maintain at or above 9500 ft for departing traffic. A short time later; I started experiencing a heavy downdraft and advised approach I was unable to maintain 9500 ft. Shortly after that I started experiencing severe turbulence and the aircraft was basically out of control and the mountain wave or whatever it was; spit me out at about 6500 ft. All items in the small cockpit that were not securely fastened came loose and scattered all over. The turbulence ended just northeast of abq international. I managed to retrieve most of my charts and assessed that I was still in one piece. I landed at gallup; NM; instead of kingman; closed my flight plan and inspected the airplane. There was no apparent damage. Neither center nor approach gave me any expectations of what I entered. I can only presume they were unaware of the mountain wave activity. FSS only mentioned occasionally moderate turbulence below FL180.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: TL2000 PLT ENCOUNTERS SEVERE TURB AND MOUNTAIN WAVE. ALT LOSS WAS 3000 FT PRIOR TO RECOVERY.
Narrative: I WAS FERRYING A LIGHT SPORT ACFT (STING SPORT) TL2000. SOME DISTANCE E OF ABQ; I ASKED CTR WHAT WOULD BE A GOOD XING ALT FOR THE RIDGE JUST E OF ABQ INTL AND FOR THEIR TFC. AT THE TIME I WAS AT 8500 FT. THEY SUGGESTED 9500 FT AND SWITCHED ME TO ABQ APCH. APCH ADVISED ME TO MAINTAIN AT OR ABOVE 9500 FT FOR DEPARTING TFC. A SHORT TIME LATER; I STARTED EXPERIENCING A HVY DOWNDRAFT AND ADVISED APCH I WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN 9500 FT. SHORTLY AFTER THAT I STARTED EXPERIENCING SEVERE TURB AND THE ACFT WAS BASICALLY OUT OF CTL AND THE MOUNTAIN WAVE OR WHATEVER IT WAS; SPIT ME OUT AT ABOUT 6500 FT. ALL ITEMS IN THE SMALL COCKPIT THAT WERE NOT SECURELY FASTENED CAME LOOSE AND SCATTERED ALL OVER. THE TURB ENDED JUST NE OF ABQ INTL. I MANAGED TO RETRIEVE MOST OF MY CHARTS AND ASSESSED THAT I WAS STILL IN ONE PIECE. I LANDED AT GALLUP; NM; INSTEAD OF KINGMAN; CLOSED MY FLT PLAN AND INSPECTED THE AIRPLANE. THERE WAS NO APPARENT DAMAGE. NEITHER CTR NOR APCH GAVE ME ANY EXPECTATIONS OF WHAT I ENTERED. I CAN ONLY PRESUME THEY WERE UNAWARE OF THE MOUNTAIN WAVE ACTIVITY. FSS ONLY MENTIONED OCCASIONALLY MODERATE TURB BELOW FL180.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.