B747-200 encountered moderate-severe turbulence in cruise at FL390.

Attributes
ACN	350728
Time
Date	199610
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : grb
State Reference	WI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 39000 msl bound upper : 39000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zmp
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B747-100
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	350728
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 25000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	350727
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Going from nrt-jfk with B747-200, augmented crew (me (regular captain), first officer, so, irc). I took last break, so I sat left seat for about the first 9 hours. When we reached west coast of USA, I queried through ACARS to see if there were any turbulence alerts (tps) for the USA, and found several, especially one for predicted moderate turbulence over the eastern part of our route. I notified the lead flight attendant so they would be prepared. About 1 hour later, I went on break. I was asleep in the crew bunk when we hit severe turbulence over grb at FL390. No one was hurt, luckily, due to the fact that we were all expecting turbulence (although we thought it was only supposed to be moderate!). The irc, who was flying at the time, said the aircraft was in severe turbulence for about 30-40 seconds, and was uncontrollable for about 10 seconds. We were lucky that we thought to check ACARS for those turbulence forecasts, since they are not automatically uplinked to flts that reach landfall after overwater flts out of ACARS range. They should be automatic in these sits -- the next crew may be tired and not think of asking for them!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B747-200 ENCOUNTERED MODERATE-SEVERE TURB IN CRUISE AT FL390.

Narrative: GOING FROM NRT-JFK WITH B747-200, AUGMENTED CREW (ME (REGULAR CAPT), FO, SO, IRC). I TOOK LAST BREAK, SO I SAT L SEAT FOR ABOUT THE FIRST 9 HRS. WHEN WE REACHED W COAST OF USA, I QUERIED THROUGH ACARS TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY TURB ALERTS (TPS) FOR THE USA, AND FOUND SEVERAL, ESPECIALLY ONE FOR PREDICTED MODERATE TURB OVER THE EASTERN PART OF OUR RTE. I NOTIFIED THE LEAD FLT ATTENDANT SO THEY WOULD BE PREPARED. ABOUT 1 HR LATER, I WENT ON BREAK. I WAS ASLEEP IN THE CREW BUNK WHEN WE HIT SEVERE TURB OVER GRB AT FL390. NO ONE WAS HURT, LUCKILY, DUE TO THE FACT THAT WE WERE ALL EXPECTING TURB (ALTHOUGH WE THOUGHT IT WAS ONLY SUPPOSED TO BE MODERATE!). THE IRC, WHO WAS FLYING AT THE TIME, SAID THE ACFT WAS IN SEVERE TURB FOR ABOUT 30-40 SECONDS, AND WAS UNCONTROLLABLE FOR ABOUT 10 SECONDS. WE WERE LUCKY THAT WE THOUGHT TO CHK ACARS FOR THOSE TURB FORECASTS, SINCE THEY ARE NOT AUTOMATICALLY UPLINKED TO FLTS THAT REACH LANDFALL AFTER OVERWATER FLTS OUT OF ACARS RANGE. THEY SHOULD BE AUTOMATIC IN THESE SITS -- THE NEXT CREW MAY BE TIRED AND NOT THINK OF ASKING FOR THEM!

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.