Narrative:

On the way to mdw; we were deviating around level 3 and 4 thunderstorms. We asked the flight attendants to remain seated. We were in moderate turbulence for several mins. We then experienced severe turbulence for 3-5 mins. After that we were back into moderate turbulence. This lasted almost the duration of the flight. On the approach to mdw I called in-range to have maintenance meet the aircraft upon arrival due to the fact that we were in severe turbulence. The flight attendants remained seated for the rest of the flight. We had to shoot an ILS runway 31C circle-to-land runway 22L. During the severe turbulence we had +/- 50 KTS and the ivsi was +/-2000 ft. The aircraft was at minimum control. Upon arrival to mdw; maintenance met us at the gate. We discussed what had happened with them. Our flight attendants were not hurt. We talked to them and they were shaken up as anyone would have been. We had 1 more leg so we had to catch another airplane at another gate. During this flight; we neglected to contact dispatch. I feel that we were task saturated. There were no PIREPS of severe turbulence in that area. We did not expect to encounter this. None of the passenger were hurt. We did not fly into anything worse than level 2 according to the radar. I am not sure how we could have avoided this. Supplemental information from acn 690243: the turbulence got so bad that the airspeed varied about 80 KIAS. We constantly battled uncommanded 30+ degree rolls; and the aircraft was constantly climbing and descending several hundred ft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 FLT CREW ENCOUNTERS SEVERE TURB WHILE ENRTE.

Narrative: ON THE WAY TO MDW; WE WERE DEVIATING AROUND LEVEL 3 AND 4 TSTMS. WE ASKED THE FLT ATTENDANTS TO REMAIN SEATED. WE WERE IN MODERATE TURB FOR SEVERAL MINS. WE THEN EXPERIENCED SEVERE TURB FOR 3-5 MINS. AFTER THAT WE WERE BACK INTO MODERATE TURB. THIS LASTED ALMOST THE DURATION OF THE FLT. ON THE APCH TO MDW I CALLED IN-RANGE TO HAVE MAINT MEET THE ACFT UPON ARR DUE TO THE FACT THAT WE WERE IN SEVERE TURB. THE FLT ATTENDANTS REMAINED SEATED FOR THE REST OF THE FLT. WE HAD TO SHOOT AN ILS RWY 31C CIRCLE-TO-LAND RWY 22L. DURING THE SEVERE TURB WE HAD +/- 50 KTS AND THE IVSI WAS +/-2000 FT. THE ACFT WAS AT MINIMUM CTL. UPON ARR TO MDW; MAINT MET US AT THE GATE. WE DISCUSSED WHAT HAD HAPPENED WITH THEM. OUR FLT ATTENDANTS WERE NOT HURT. WE TALKED TO THEM AND THEY WERE SHAKEN UP AS ANYONE WOULD HAVE BEEN. WE HAD 1 MORE LEG SO WE HAD TO CATCH ANOTHER AIRPLANE AT ANOTHER GATE. DURING THIS FLT; WE NEGLECTED TO CONTACT DISPATCH. I FEEL THAT WE WERE TASK SATURATED. THERE WERE NO PIREPS OF SEVERE TURB IN THAT AREA. WE DID NOT EXPECT TO ENCOUNTER THIS. NONE OF THE PAX WERE HURT. WE DID NOT FLY INTO ANYTHING WORSE THAN LEVEL 2 ACCORDING TO THE RADAR. I AM NOT SURE HOW WE COULD HAVE AVOIDED THIS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 690243: THE TURB GOT SO BAD THAT THE AIRSPD VARIED ABOUT 80 KIAS. WE CONSTANTLY BATTLED UNCOMMANDED 30+ DEG ROLLS; AND THE ACFT WAS CONSTANTLY CLBING AND DSNDING SEVERAL HUNDRED FT.

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.