Air carrier mdt in-flight encounter with severe turbulence and loss of yaw dampers.

Attributes
ACN	123466
Time
Date	198909
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bwi
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5700 msl bound upper : 6300
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bwi
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Transport, High Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 260 flight time total : 5200 flight time type : 260
ASRS Report	123466
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On a flight from jfk-bwi, about 40 mi from bwi, we encountered a strong cold front that was not showing much on the radar. We encountered severe turbulence and lost both yaw dampers. With a new hire first officer flying the aircraft, he lost control of the aircraft +/-300', 30 degree turn. I advised ATC we had to turn to get out of the WX, and was given a turn. We turned the best we could outside the WX. I reset the yaw dampers and tried again in a different area of the front. We lost both yaw dampers and control again, with the first officer flying. At 1 time the first officer was completely x-ctled. I took over again and asked for direct to our alternate. We turned the wrong way. This was due partly to the fact that I was helping the first officer set up his navigation and flying the aircraft in severe turbulence west/O yaw dampers. I was later informed that an mlt reported severe turbulence in this area after I landed. The first officer was new, and not any help at all, and had no training in the aircraft west/O yaw dampers. Also, this first officer would not have made it through pilot training in the past, but the company has not been able to hire pilots due to poor pay and treatment.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MDT INFLT ENCOUNTER WITH SEVERE TURB AND LOSS OF YAW DAMPERS.

Narrative: ON A FLT FROM JFK-BWI, ABOUT 40 MI FROM BWI, WE ENCOUNTERED A STRONG COLD FRONT THAT WAS NOT SHOWING MUCH ON THE RADAR. WE ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURB AND LOST BOTH YAW DAMPERS. WITH A NEW HIRE F/O FLYING THE ACFT, HE LOST CONTROL OF THE ACFT +/-300', 30 DEG TURN. I ADVISED ATC WE HAD TO TURN TO GET OUT OF THE WX, AND WAS GIVEN A TURN. WE TURNED THE BEST WE COULD OUTSIDE THE WX. I RESET THE YAW DAMPERS AND TRIED AGAIN IN A DIFFERENT AREA OF THE FRONT. WE LOST BOTH YAW DAMPERS AND CONTROL AGAIN, WITH THE F/O FLYING. AT 1 TIME THE F/O WAS COMPLETELY X-CTLED. I TOOK OVER AGAIN AND ASKED FOR DIRECT TO OUR ALTERNATE. WE TURNED THE WRONG WAY. THIS WAS DUE PARTLY TO THE FACT THAT I WAS HELPING THE F/O SET UP HIS NAV AND FLYING THE ACFT IN SEVERE TURB W/O YAW DAMPERS. I WAS LATER INFORMED THAT AN MLT RPTED SEVERE TURB IN THIS AREA AFTER I LANDED. THE F/O WAS NEW, AND NOT ANY HELP AT ALL, AND HAD NO TRNING IN THE ACFT W/O YAW DAMPERS. ALSO, THIS F/O WOULD NOT HAVE MADE IT THROUGH PLT TRNING IN THE PAST, BUT THE COMPANY HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO HIRE PLTS DUE TO POOR PAY AND TREATMENT.

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.