Narrative:

During a flight; we encountered severe to extreme turbulence for an extended period. The flight was extremely busy with 2 rertes on the ground and 3 rertes before reaching top of climb. There was WX approximately 80-100 mi out and 30 mi west of our course just before we were given our final climb to FL320. During the climb; we received a last rerte. During this climb; we were completely IMC. Just at leveloff as we were accelerating to cruise speed; and the nose lowered we saw WX 20 mi off the nose. We then began a turn but still caught the edge of the heavy precipitation. The rain was accompanied by moderate turbulence. As we exited the precipitation; the radio got extremely staticy and the turbulence continued to increase. The autoplt was disengaged and I took control of the aircraft. It was everything I could do to keep the wings level and hold the nose down approximately 5-10 degrees. The aircraft was still climbing at about 1000 FPM. The aircraft continued a climb through FL330 before we exited the other side of the storm and regained not only full control of the aircraft; but also got radios back. At that point; we returned to FL320 and continued to remain VMC keeping a very healthy distance between us and the cell over sby. Facts: 1) aircraft never exceeded 260 KTS TAS. 2) pitch was from 15-18 degrees nose-up to 10 degrees nose-down. 3) drinks and other loose items were moving freely about the cabin. 4) aircraft made warnings from the stall horn to the overspd clacker. 5) dispatcher seemed confused on why rerte put us in area of active WX. 6) controller stated that no conflict occurred during the altitude deviation. 7) from beginning to end; the event lasted approximately 2-4 mins.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CRJ-200 ENCOUNTERED MODERATE TO SEVERE TURBULENCE; LEADING TO A MOMENTARY LOSS OF CONTROL AND ALT EXCURSIONS.

Narrative: DURING A FLT; WE ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TO EXTREME TURB FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD. THE FLT WAS EXTREMELY BUSY WITH 2 RERTES ON THE GND AND 3 RERTES BEFORE REACHING TOP OF CLB. THERE WAS WX APPROX 80-100 MI OUT AND 30 MI W OF OUR COURSE JUST BEFORE WE WERE GIVEN OUR FINAL CLB TO FL320. DURING THE CLB; WE RECEIVED A LAST RERTE. DURING THIS CLB; WE WERE COMPLETELY IMC. JUST AT LEVELOFF AS WE WERE ACCELERATING TO CRUISE SPD; AND THE NOSE LOWERED WE SAW WX 20 MI OFF THE NOSE. WE THEN BEGAN A TURN BUT STILL CAUGHT THE EDGE OF THE HVY PRECIP. THE RAIN WAS ACCOMPANIED BY MODERATE TURB. AS WE EXITED THE PRECIP; THE RADIO GOT EXTREMELY STATICY AND THE TURB CONTINUED TO INCREASE. THE AUTOPLT WAS DISENGAGED AND I TOOK CTL OF THE ACFT. IT WAS EVERYTHING I COULD DO TO KEEP THE WINGS LEVEL AND HOLD THE NOSE DOWN APPROX 5-10 DEGS. THE ACFT WAS STILL CLBING AT ABOUT 1000 FPM. THE ACFT CONTINUED A CLB THROUGH FL330 BEFORE WE EXITED THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STORM AND REGAINED NOT ONLY FULL CTL OF THE ACFT; BUT ALSO GOT RADIOS BACK. AT THAT POINT; WE RETURNED TO FL320 AND CONTINUED TO REMAIN VMC KEEPING A VERY HEALTHY DISTANCE BTWN US AND THE CELL OVER SBY. FACTS: 1) ACFT NEVER EXCEEDED 260 KTS TAS. 2) PITCH WAS FROM 15-18 DEGS NOSE-UP TO 10 DEGS NOSE-DOWN. 3) DRINKS AND OTHER LOOSE ITEMS WERE MOVING FREELY ABOUT THE CABIN. 4) ACFT MADE WARNINGS FROM THE STALL HORN TO THE OVERSPD CLACKER. 5) DISPATCHER SEEMED CONFUSED ON WHY RERTE PUT US IN AREA OF ACTIVE WX. 6) CTLR STATED THAT NO CONFLICT OCCURRED DURING THE ALTDEV. 7) FROM BEGINNING TO END; THE EVENT LASTED APPROX 2-4 MINS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.