Narrative:

On approach to oak from the north, I was tracking from sgd to sau at an assigned altitude of 4000 ft. The flight conditions were moderate turbulence and occasionally heavy rain showers. I was given a heading of 140 to intercept the oak 9R VOR final approach course. As I initiated the turn, I encountered a severe gust which caused the aircraft bank to increase to almost 90 degrees, and the altitude to bounce down to 3600 ft and then back up to 4200 ft. It took me about 4 or 5 seconds to again stabilize the altitude and heading. The rest of the approach and landing proceeded normally. The controller didn't comment on or didn't notice the excursion. Maybe it all took place between radar or encoder sweeps, but in any case nothing was said by ATC or by me about the occurrence. Here's the rub: I kept my mouth shut lest I trigger an official letter by the enforcement folks at the kinder and gentler FAA. Thus, I failed to contribute to aviation safety by warning ATC of a particularly extreme patch of WX -- maybe enabling them to avoid vectoring some other aircraft through the same spot. How can we airmen and the FAA reduce the tension level between us? Can't we insist that the FAA come out with a vigorous policy statement that basically says they only intent to pursue violations against flagrantly reckless and irresponsible pilots? I believe that safety can be improved if pilots and controllers could count on each other to exercise common sense and reasonableness on the subject of inadvertent excursions from clrncs or far's. Let's clear the air and get back on the same team.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV ALT EXCURSION EXPERIENCED BY SMT PLT DURING A DOWNDRAFT ENCOUNTER AND TURB.

Narrative: ON APCH TO OAK FROM THE N, I WAS TRACKING FROM SGD TO SAU AT AN ASSIGNED ALT OF 4000 FT. THE FLT CONDITIONS WERE MODERATE TURB AND OCCASIONALLY HVY RAIN SHOWERS. I WAS GIVEN A HDG OF 140 TO INTERCEPT THE OAK 9R VOR FINAL APCH COURSE. AS I INITIATED THE TURN, I ENCOUNTERED A SEVERE GUST WHICH CAUSED THE ACFT BANK TO INCREASE TO ALMOST 90 DEGS, AND THE ALT TO BOUNCE DOWN TO 3600 FT AND THEN BACK UP TO 4200 FT. IT TOOK ME ABOUT 4 OR 5 SECONDS TO AGAIN STABILIZE THE ALT AND HDG. THE REST OF THE APCH AND LNDG PROCEEDED NORMALLY. THE CTLR DIDN'T COMMENT ON OR DIDN'T NOTICE THE EXCURSION. MAYBE IT ALL TOOK PLACE BTWN RADAR OR ENCODER SWEEPS, BUT IN ANY CASE NOTHING WAS SAID BY ATC OR BY ME ABOUT THE OCCURRENCE. HERE'S THE RUB: I KEPT MY MOUTH SHUT LEST I TRIGGER AN OFFICIAL LETTER BY THE ENFORCEMENT FOLKS AT THE KINDER AND GENTLER FAA. THUS, I FAILED TO CONTRIBUTE TO AVIATION SAFETY BY WARNING ATC OF A PARTICULARLY EXTREME PATCH OF WX -- MAYBE ENABLING THEM TO AVOID VECTORING SOME OTHER ACFT THROUGH THE SAME SPOT. HOW CAN WE AIRMEN AND THE FAA REDUCE THE TENSION LEVEL BTWN US? CAN'T WE INSIST THAT THE FAA COME OUT WITH A VIGOROUS POLICY STATEMENT THAT BASICALLY SAYS THEY ONLY INTENT TO PURSUE VIOLATIONS AGAINST FLAGRANTLY RECKLESS AND IRRESPONSIBLE PLTS? I BELIEVE THAT SAFETY CAN BE IMPROVED IF PLTS AND CTLRS COULD COUNT ON EACH OTHER TO EXERCISE COMMON SENSE AND REASONABLENESS ON THE SUBJECT OF INADVERTENT EXCURSIONS FROM CLRNCS OR FAR'S. LET'S CLR THE AIR AND GET BACK ON THE SAME TEAM.

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.