Narrative:

Altitude variation was from approximately 40000 ft MSL to approximately 38000 ft MSL. Substantial complication was caused in attempting to advise ATC due constant communication (in chinese) on ATC. Clearance was obtained, but later than ideal. Once contacted, ATC was most helpful, cooperative, supportive. I have been very well trained by my company in low altitude windshear recovery. However, I realize that I have not ever rehearsed high altitude turbulence recovery. High altitude stall recovery, yes, but not high altitude turbulence recovery. This was a classic example of the value of CRM. My first officer assisted in every possible way. I was, admittedly, for the first time in my 30 plus yrs as an airline pilot, 'overloaded' with the simultaneous high and low speed stall indications, etc, plus concern about my unwarned flight attendants in the middle of their service, inability to communicate with ATC, concern about possible conflicting traffic, not to mention a new experience of flying the airplane! I was momentarily less than focused. My first officer called out 'attitude! Fly attitude!' that did it. That refocused me. Clearly, I could not control the aircraft alone. I asked him to handle the power while I flew the aircraft. It worked, it worked well. I have never experienced such turbulence in my career. I can see the wisdom of my long-retired mentor -- a truly legendary pilot. 'The older you get, the more important CRM becomes.' he is right. At 35 or 40 I likely could have remained totally focused, interpretive, and run the controls, power, etc through this experience. Times have changed a little as my hair color has changed! My experience is increasingly important, I am sure, as a foundation to 'compensate for' the subtle change of age! Check rides, while not measurably more challenging, seem to be more and more of a positive learning experience as we've transitioned to advance qualification program. I actually enjoy them more. I will suggest to my company that high altitude recovery be added to advance qualification program. As I reflect back on this experience, the only changes that I would make in my procedures are two: earlier focus on fly attitude, with more disregard for altitude, and an autoland at destination 45-50 mins after the incident. Worked out okay but an autoland (which I almost never do) might have been prudent as we all were still somewhat shaken. Flight back 15 hours later was fine.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF A B747-400 LOST CTL OF ACFT FOR A BRIEF PERIOD OF TIME DUE TO SEVERE CLR AIR TURB RESULTING IN A NET LOSS OF ALT OF 2000 FT.

Narrative: ALT VARIATION WAS FROM APPROX 40000 FT MSL TO APPROX 38000 FT MSL. SUBSTANTIAL COMPLICATION WAS CAUSED IN ATTEMPTING TO ADVISE ATC DUE CONSTANT COM (IN CHINESE) ON ATC. CLRNC WAS OBTAINED, BUT LATER THAN IDEAL. ONCE CONTACTED, ATC WAS MOST HELPFUL, COOPERATIVE, SUPPORTIVE. I HAVE BEEN VERY WELL TRAINED BY MY COMPANY IN LOW ALT WINDSHEAR RECOVERY. HOWEVER, I REALIZE THAT I HAVE NOT EVER REHEARSED HIGH ALT TURB RECOVERY. HIGH ALT STALL RECOVERY, YES, BUT NOT HIGH ALT TURB RECOVERY. THIS WAS A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF THE VALUE OF CRM. MY FO ASSISTED IN EVERY POSSIBLE WAY. I WAS, ADMITTEDLY, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY 30 PLUS YRS AS AN AIRLINE PLT, 'OVERLOADED' WITH THE SIMULTANEOUS HIGH AND LOW SPD STALL INDICATIONS, ETC, PLUS CONCERN ABOUT MY UNWARNED FLT ATTENDANTS IN THE MIDDLE OF THEIR SERVICE, INABILITY TO COMMUNICATE WITH ATC, CONCERN ABOUT POSSIBLE CONFLICTING TFC, NOT TO MENTION A NEW EXPERIENCE OF FLYING THE AIRPLANE! I WAS MOMENTARILY LESS THAN FOCUSED. MY FO CALLED OUT 'ATTITUDE! FLY ATTITUDE!' THAT DID IT. THAT REFOCUSED ME. CLRLY, I COULD NOT CTL THE ACFT ALONE. I ASKED HIM TO HANDLE THE PWR WHILE I FLEW THE ACFT. IT WORKED, IT WORKED WELL. I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED SUCH TURB IN MY CAREER. I CAN SEE THE WISDOM OF MY LONG-RETIRED MENTOR -- A TRULY LEGENDARY PLT. 'THE OLDER YOU GET, THE MORE IMPORTANT CRM BECOMES.' HE IS RIGHT. AT 35 OR 40 I LIKELY COULD HAVE REMAINED TOTALLY FOCUSED, INTERPRETIVE, AND RUN THE CTLS, PWR, ETC THROUGH THIS EXPERIENCE. TIMES HAVE CHANGED A LITTLE AS MY HAIR COLOR HAS CHANGED! MY EXPERIENCE IS INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT, I AM SURE, AS A FOUNDATION TO 'COMPENSATE FOR' THE SUBTLE CHANGE OF AGE! CHK RIDES, WHILE NOT MEASURABLY MORE CHALLENGING, SEEM TO BE MORE AND MORE OF A POSITIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCE AS WE'VE TRANSITIONED TO ADVANCE QUALIFICATION PROGRAM. I ACTUALLY ENJOY THEM MORE. I WILL SUGGEST TO MY COMPANY THAT HIGH ALT RECOVERY BE ADDED TO ADVANCE QUALIFICATION PROGRAM. AS I REFLECT BACK ON THIS EXPERIENCE, THE ONLY CHANGES THAT I WOULD MAKE IN MY PROCS ARE TWO: EARLIER FOCUS ON FLY ATTITUDE, WITH MORE DISREGARD FOR ALT, AND AN AUTOLAND AT DEST 45-50 MINS AFTER THE INCIDENT. WORKED OUT OKAY BUT AN AUTOLAND (WHICH I ALMOST NEVER DO) MIGHT HAVE BEEN PRUDENT AS WE ALL WERE STILL SOMEWHAT SHAKEN. FLT BACK 15 HRS LATER WAS FINE.

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.