Narrative:

Aircraft encountered extreme turbulence at FL320 in the top of a cloud deck. No radar returns on any range at any tilt angle. There were reports of moderate turbulence at our altitude from center; so I had already slowed the aircraft to turbulence speed as a precaution. The onset of turbulence was sudden and violent and I was unable to control speed or altitude. I disconnected autoplt and autothrottles but we lost and gained 1000 ft altitude from assigned FL320. Speed varied from mmo to vls (1.3 vertical speed) minus 15-20 KTS. Stall region; engine power was varied from idle to firewall power. First officer made full report to center during the encounter; and emphasized inability to maintain altitude. Encounter lasted approximately 5 mins (35-40 NM). I decided to land at ZZZ for inspection due to extreme turbulence and landed approximately 10000 pounds over maximum landing weight. My company is conducting a thorough inspection of this aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CARGO ACFT ENCOUNTERED EXTREME TURB AT FL320. AN EMER WAS DECLARED WITH A DIVERSION TO A NEARBY ARPT.

Narrative: ACFT ENCOUNTERED EXTREME TURB AT FL320 IN THE TOP OF A CLOUD DECK. NO RADAR RETURNS ON ANY RANGE AT ANY TILT ANGLE. THERE WERE RPTS OF MODERATE TURB AT OUR ALT FROM CTR; SO I HAD ALREADY SLOWED THE ACFT TO TURB SPD AS A PRECAUTION. THE ONSET OF TURB WAS SUDDEN AND VIOLENT AND I WAS UNABLE TO CTL SPD OR ALT. I DISCONNECTED AUTOPLT AND AUTOTHROTTLES BUT WE LOST AND GAINED 1000 FT ALT FROM ASSIGNED FL320. SPD VARIED FROM MMO TO VLS (1.3 VERT SPD) MINUS 15-20 KTS. STALL REGION; ENG PWR WAS VARIED FROM IDLE TO FIREWALL PWR. FO MADE FULL RPT TO CTR DURING THE ENCOUNTER; AND EMPHASIZED INABILITY TO MAINTAIN ALT. ENCOUNTER LASTED APPROX 5 MINS (35-40 NM). I DECIDED TO LAND AT ZZZ FOR INSPECTION DUE TO EXTREME TURB AND LANDED APPROX 10000 LBS OVER MAX LNDG WT. MY COMPANY IS CONDUCTING A THOROUGH INSPECTION OF THIS ACFT.

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.