B737-800 flight crew encounters moderate turbulence while en route.

Attributes
ACN	717290
Time
Date	200611
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zzz.artcc
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 27000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-800
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	717290
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : turbulence
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Maintenance Human Performance ATC Human Performance Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

Had many reports of moderate to severe turbulence in area; as well as; the entire east coast. Had rough ride off and on all the way from ZZZ1. Asked ATC about rides; he said 'about an hour ago moderate to severe reported over ZZZ arrival FL240 to FL270.' so; we asked to get down below the bad rides before we got there; and ATC would not accommodate us. I kept asking for lower; and they said; 'we know what you're trying to do.' at that time it started to get real bad with moderate turbulence. We asked for lower again and he said 'you'll have to declare an emergency.' so we did. Went down to FL220; below FL240 the ride got better. We then went down to FL190 and it was a good ride. I should not have to declare an emergency in order to get lower; never.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-800 FLT CREW ENCOUNTERS MODERATE TURB WHILE ENRTE.

Narrative: HAD MANY RPTS OF MODERATE TO SEVERE TURB IN AREA; AS WELL AS; THE ENTIRE EAST COAST. HAD ROUGH RIDE OFF AND ON ALL THE WAY FROM ZZZ1. ASKED ATC ABOUT RIDES; HE SAID 'ABOUT AN HR AGO MODERATE TO SEVERE RPTED OVER ZZZ ARR FL240 TO FL270.' SO; WE ASKED TO GET DOWN BELOW THE BAD RIDES BEFORE WE GOT THERE; AND ATC WOULD NOT ACCOMMODATE US. I KEPT ASKING FOR LOWER; AND THEY SAID; 'WE KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO.' AT THAT TIME IT STARTED TO GET REAL BAD WITH MODERATE TURB. WE ASKED FOR LOWER AGAIN AND HE SAID 'YOU'LL HAVE TO DECLARE AN EMER.' SO WE DID. WENT DOWN TO FL220; BELOW FL240 THE RIDE GOT BETTER. WE THEN WENT DOWN TO FL190 AND IT WAS A GOOD RIDE. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO DECLARE AN EMER IN ORDER TO GET LOWER; NEVER.

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.