Atx pilot experiences a loss of aircraft control with altitude deviation altitude excursion and posi...

Attributes
ACN	191857
Time
Date	199110
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : brl
State Reference	IA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2400 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau tower : bos
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Route In Use	approach : visual enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 1600
ASRS Report	191857
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other anomaly other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : regained aircraft control flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Whilst on an IFR flight from ekm to brl and 20 NM out from brl (in VFR conditions), chicago center cleared me to 45000 ft on a visual to brl. (Reported WX 4000 sut 8000 oc visibility 7). We were then cleared to 3000 ft and descended. My on board radar indicated large areas of heavy precipitation over brl. We were heading 240 degree approximately, and had been cleared to 2300 ft when I encountered severe turbulence ahead of the storm, and informed center that I was turning to a heading of 180. Center requested that I remain within 15 DME of brl. I was unable to escape the severe turbulence and continued past the 15 DME to 20 DME to find clear air, and then turned to 360 degree to assess the situation, and advised center that I would try for a visual into ft madison. Chicago center advised a heading of 020 degree and a climb to 3000 ft for radar identify. Once again we encountered severe turbulence and changed heading to 090 degree, and advised chicago center of my intentions on heading. At this point I requested an approach into a small VFR airport beneath me, but could not find an identifier for this airport, so advised center that I could make mqb before WX hit. I was still in severe turbulence and unable to hold altitude due to downdrafts, my altitude now 2400 ft. Center requested my present altitude and I informed them that I was attempting to climb back up to 3000 ft. The turbulence moderated as we left the vicinity of the storm and center advised me a 070 degree heading for mqb. After 2 or 3 mins I was visual with mqb, cancelled IFR and landed. Nb the level of turbulence during this approach period to brl called for reduced power and extended landing gear, airspeed fluctuations and bank angles precluded the use of charts or push button navigation equipment. This excursion from distance and altitude would not have occurred had up-to-date WX information via AWOS 3 been available to chicago center, kankakee, FSS and myself.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATX PLT EXPERIENCES A LOSS OF ACFT CTL WITH ALTDEV ALT EXCURSION AND POS DEV WHILE IN AREA OF TSTM ACTIVITY.

Narrative: WHILST ON AN IFR FLT FROM EKM TO BRL AND 20 NM OUT FROM BRL (IN VFR CONDITIONS), CHICAGO CENTER CLRED ME TO 45000 FT ON A VISUAL TO BRL. (RPTED WX 4000 SUT 8000 OC VIS 7). WE WERE THEN CLRED TO 3000 FT AND DSNDED. MY ON BOARD RADAR INDICATED LARGE AREAS OF HVY PRECIPITATION OVER BRL. WE WERE HDG 240 DEG APPROX, AND HAD BEEN CLRED TO 2300 FT WHEN I ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURB AHEAD OF THE STORM, AND INFORMED CENTER THAT I WAS TURNING TO A HDG OF 180. CENTER REQUESTED THAT I REMAIN WITHIN 15 DME OF BRL. I WAS UNABLE TO ESCAPE THE SEVERE TURB AND CONTINUED PAST THE 15 DME TO 20 DME TO FIND CLR AIR, AND THEN TURNED TO 360 DEG TO ASSESS THE SITUATION, AND ADVISED CENTER THAT I WOULD TRY FOR A VISUAL INTO FT MADISON. CHICAGO CENTER ADVISED A HDG OF 020 DEG AND A CLB TO 3000 FT FOR RADAR IDENT. ONCE AGAIN WE ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURB AND CHANGED HDG TO 090 DEG, AND ADVISED CHICAGO CENTER OF MY INTENTIONS ON HDG. AT THIS POINT I REQUESTED AN APCH INTO A SMALL VFR ARPT BENEATH ME, BUT COULD NOT FIND AN IDENTIFIER FOR THIS ARPT, SO ADVISED CENTER THAT I COULD MAKE MQB BEFORE WX HIT. I WAS STILL IN SEVERE TURB AND UNABLE TO HOLD ALT DUE TO DOWNDRAFTS, MY ALT NOW 2400 FT. CENTER REQUESTED MY PRESENT ALT AND I INFORMED THEM THAT I WAS ATTEMPTING TO CLB BACK UP TO 3000 FT. THE TURB MODERATED AS WE LEFT THE VICINITY OF THE STORM AND CENTER ADVISED ME A 070 DEG HDG FOR MQB. AFTER 2 OR 3 MINS I WAS VISUAL WITH MQB, CANCELLED IFR AND LANDED. NB THE LEVEL OF TURB DURING THIS APCH PERIOD TO BRL CALLED FOR REDUCED PWR AND EXTENDED LNDG GEAR, AIRSPD FLUCTUATIONS AND BANK ANGLES PRECLUDED THE USE OF CHARTS OR PUSH BUTTON NAV EQUIP. THIS EXCURSION FROM DISTANCE AND ALT WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED HAD UP-TO-DATE WX INFO VIA AWOS 3 BEEN AVAILABLE TO CHICAGO CENTER, KANKAKEE, FSS AND MYSELF.

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.

Atx pilot experiences a loss of aircraft control with altitude deviation altitude excursion and position deviation while in area of thunderstorm activity.