Corp aircraft encounters severe WX. Altitude deviation and loss of navigation equipment result.

Attributes
ACN	269445
Time
Date	199404
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mxe
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct enroute airway : phl
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 8500 flight time type : 825
ASRS Report	269445
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Assigned to fly the aircraft to san marcos, tx, for a possible sale I conducted a preflight and WX briefing being advised that only level 2 showers were reported in eastern PA. After which the remainder of the flight was VFR. In the vicinity of mxe VOR. I encounter severe turbulence, heavy rain, making it virtually impossible to maintain altitude and directional control. I requested a deviation from departure but due to WX conditions in area and aircraft holding they were unable to accommodate the request. During this encounter I also lost navigation #1. Which caused me to deviate from my clearance as I had all I could do to keep the aircraft somewhat under control. I was finally cleared to deviate to the north still experiencing severe turbulence and heavy rain, I overheard a commuter aircraft talking with harrisburg approach reporting loss of altitude of 600 ft due to turbulence. I was aware after the fact that my course from mxe VOR was off due to navigation #1 outage and violent WX conditions. I feel during my preflight briefing the briefer could have or should have known of these violent conditions.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CORP ACFT ENCOUNTERS SEVERE WX. ALTDEV AND LOSS OF NAV EQUIP RESULT.

Narrative: ASSIGNED TO FLY THE ACFT TO SAN MARCOS, TX, FOR A POSSIBLE SALE I CONDUCTED A PREFLT AND WX BRIEFING BEING ADVISED THAT ONLY LEVEL 2 SHOWERS WERE RPTED IN EASTERN PA. AFTER WHICH THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WAS VFR. IN THE VICINITY OF MXE VOR. I ENCOUNTER SEVERE TURB, HVY RAIN, MAKING IT VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO MAINTAIN ALT AND DIRECTIONAL CTL. I REQUESTED A DEV FROM DEP BUT DUE TO WX CONDITIONS IN AREA AND ACFT HOLDING THEY WERE UNABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THE REQUEST. DURING THIS ENCOUNTER I ALSO LOST NAV #1. WHICH CAUSED ME TO DEVIATE FROM MY CLRNC AS I HAD ALL I COULD DO TO KEEP THE ACFT SOMEWHAT UNDER CTL. I WAS FINALLY CLRED TO DEVIATE TO THE N STILL EXPERIENCING SEVERE TURB AND HVY RAIN, I OVERHEARD A COMMUTER ACFT TALKING WITH HARRISBURG APCH RPTING LOSS OF ALT OF 600 FT DUE TO TURB. I WAS AWARE AFTER THE FACT THAT MY COURSE FROM MXE VOR WAS OFF DUE TO NAV #1 OUTAGE AND VIOLENT WX CONDITIONS. I FEEL DURING MY PREFLT BRIEFING THE BRIEFER COULD HAVE OR SHOULD HAVE KNOWN OF THESE VIOLENT CONDITIONS.

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.