Air carrier widebody transport in-flight WX encounter turbulence. Loss of aircraft control. Altitude...

Attributes
ACN	96638
Time
Date	198810
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sie
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 30000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : other oceanic enroute : atlantic enroute airway : a300
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 30000
ASRS Report	96638
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : regained aircraft control flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	faa : investigated other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Forty miles south of champ intersection on a 300 encountered turbulence while circumnaving weather. Lightning and hail were encountered and altitude was last due to the encounter. ATC was advised and we were advised to maintain 32,000 and then 31,000. The damage to the aircraft was a damaged 1ST officer's window and paint peeled off the radome. No injuries to the passengers although the paramedics were advised to meet the aircraft. The completion of the flight was uneventful. The loss of altitude from 35,000 to 30,000+ was completely beyond the control of the crew, and the ATC people were helpful while the recovery of altitude was being attempted. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: the aircraft radar was on and working but not painting any WX of the type encountered. Although WX around another flight just ahead of widebody transport on same airway went through at 31000 with no turbulence. Widebody transport was in contact with preceding flight and ARTCC although still out of radar range. Reported to company but had had no inquiry from FAA.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WDB INFLT WX ENCOUNTER TURBULENCE. LOSS OF ACFT CONTROL. ALT EXCURSION.

Narrative: FORTY MILES SOUTH OF CHAMP INTERSECTION ON A 300 ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE WHILE CIRCUMNAVING WEATHER. LIGHTNING AND HAIL WERE ENCOUNTERED AND ALTITUDE WAS LAST DUE TO THE ENCOUNTER. ATC WAS ADVISED AND WE WERE ADVISED TO MAINTAIN 32,000 AND THEN 31,000. THE DAMAGE TO THE ACFT WAS A DAMAGED 1ST OFFICER'S WINDOW AND PAINT PEELED OFF THE RADOME. NO INJURIES TO THE PASSENGERS ALTHOUGH THE PARAMEDICS WERE ADVISED TO MEET THE ACFT. THE COMPLETION OF THE FLIGHT WAS UNEVENTFUL. THE LOSS OF ALTITUDE FROM 35,000 TO 30,000+ WAS COMPLETELY BEYOND THE CONTROL OF THE CREW, AND THE ATC PEOPLE WERE HELPFUL WHILE THE RECOVERY OF ALTITUDE WAS BEING ATTEMPTED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: THE ACFT RADAR WAS ON AND WORKING BUT NOT PAINTING ANY WX OF THE TYPE ENCOUNTERED. ALTHOUGH WX AROUND ANOTHER FLT JUST AHEAD OF WDB ON SAME AIRWAY WENT THROUGH AT 31000 WITH NO TURBULENCE. WDB WAS IN CONTACT WITH PRECEDING FLT AND ARTCC ALTHOUGH STILL OUT OF RADAR RANGE. REPORTED TO COMPANY BUT HAD HAD NO INQUIRY FROM FAA.

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.

Air carrier widebody transport in-flight WX encounter turbulence. Loss of aircraft control. Altitude excursion.