Aircraft began buffeting at high altitude. Reduced altitude.

Attributes
ACN	85058
Time
Date	198804
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mcb
State Reference	MS
Altitude	msl bound lower : 34600 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhu
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : j35
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 17500
ASRS Report	85058
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 14000
ASRS Report	85186
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude other anomaly
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On a flight from stl to msy. Prefiled altitude, FL330. Initial cruising altitude, FL310. Reclred to FL330 between grw and mcb VOR on J35. Reclred to FL350. In approximately 15 mins at FL350 noticed a buffet. Initial reaction was to check if a landing light was inadvertently extended or if we had some outflow valve floating. Immediately noticed airspeed deterioration below 200 KIAS. Applied power to approximately go around setting. Requested an immediate descent, lowered nose slightly, regained airspeed within 300-400', buffet ceased. Continued the descent for a landing at msy. Supplemental information from acn 85186: maximum altitude loss of 500' was incurred to recover airspeed. No emergency declared. No altitude conflict.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT BEGAN BUFFETING AT HIGH ALT. REDUCED ALT.

Narrative: ON A FLT FROM STL TO MSY. PREFILED ALT, FL330. INITIAL CRUISING ALT, FL310. RECLRED TO FL330 BTWN GRW AND MCB VOR ON J35. RECLRED TO FL350. IN APPROX 15 MINS AT FL350 NOTICED A BUFFET. INITIAL REACTION WAS TO CHK IF A LNDG LIGHT WAS INADVERTENTLY EXTENDED OR IF WE HAD SOME OUTFLOW VALVE FLOATING. IMMEDIATELY NOTICED AIRSPD DETERIORATION BELOW 200 KIAS. APPLIED PWR TO APPROX GO AROUND SETTING. REQUESTED AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT, LOWERED NOSE SLIGHTLY, REGAINED AIRSPD WITHIN 300-400', BUFFET CEASED. CONTINUED THE DSCNT FOR A LNDG AT MSY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 85186: MAX ALT LOSS OF 500' WAS INCURRED TO RECOVER AIRSPD. NO EMER DECLARED. NO ALT CONFLICT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.