Narrative:

While flying at 14000', mostly 'on top' I was given a traffic advisory from abq center of northbound traffic, an air carrier large transport passing below at 13000'. I had just entered the tops of some clouds, and informed abq center that I was 'IMC'. Abq center then called air carrier with the traffic advisory about me. Air carrier also responded that they too were in 'the stuff'. The ride that day was for the most part smooth on top with light or occasional moderate turbulence in the proximity of the clouds. There was a cold front moving through the area, with the leading edge of the front in the vicinity of srp VOR. At about 25-30 DME north of srp, southbound, I encountered a pocket of turbulence which caused my aircraft to descend rapidly. I began to correct as soon as the descent began but the aircraft continued to descend to 13700' before I was able to reverse the trend. This all happened in the matter of about four to five seconds. As I was climbing back to 14000' abq center called and asked me to 'confirm 14000'', as I was passing 13900'. I responded 'correcting'. About ten (10) mins later abq center informed me of the 'possible altitude incursion' and asked me to contact abq center quality assurance department during normal administrative hours. Callback conversation with reporter revealed following information. Incident happened on a holiday so reporter called center on next working day. Supervisor had no knowledge of the incident. Apparently no report had been filed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ON IFR FLT PLAN ENCOUNTERS TURBULENCE AND DEVIATES FROM ASSIGNED ALT IN IMC CONDITIONS.

Narrative: WHILE FLYING AT 14000', MOSTLY 'ON TOP' I WAS GIVEN A TFC ADVISORY FROM ABQ CENTER OF NBOUND TFC, AN ACR LGT PASSING BELOW AT 13000'. I HAD JUST ENTERED THE TOPS OF SOME CLOUDS, AND INFORMED ABQ CENTER THAT I WAS 'IMC'. ABQ CENTER THEN CALLED ACR WITH THE TFC ADVISORY ABOUT ME. ACR ALSO RESPONDED THAT THEY TOO WERE IN 'THE STUFF'. THE RIDE THAT DAY WAS FOR THE MOST PART SMOOTH ON TOP WITH LIGHT OR OCCASIONAL MODERATE TURB IN THE PROX OF THE CLOUDS. THERE WAS A COLD FRONT MOVING THROUGH THE AREA, WITH THE LEADING EDGE OF THE FRONT IN THE VICINITY OF SRP VOR. AT ABOUT 25-30 DME N OF SRP, SBND, I ENCOUNTERED A POCKET OF TURB WHICH CAUSED MY ACFT TO DSND RAPIDLY. I BEGAN TO CORRECT AS SOON AS THE DSCNT BEGAN BUT THE ACFT CONTINUED TO DSND TO 13700' BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO REVERSE THE TREND. THIS ALL HAPPENED IN THE MATTER OF ABOUT FOUR TO FIVE SECS. AS I WAS CLBING BACK TO 14000' ABQ CENTER CALLED AND ASKED ME TO 'CONFIRM 14000'', AS I WAS PASSING 13900'. I RESPONDED 'CORRECTING'. ABOUT TEN (10) MINS LATER ABQ CENTER INFORMED ME OF THE 'POSSIBLE ALT INCURSION' AND ASKED ME TO CONTACT ABQ CENTER QUALITY ASSURANCE DEPT DURING NORMAL ADMINISTRATIVE HRS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED FOLLOWING INFO. INCIDENT HAPPENED ON A HOLIDAY SO RPTR CALLED CENTER ON NEXT WORKING DAY. SUPVR HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE INCIDENT. APPARENTLY NO RPT HAD BEEN FILED.

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