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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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Air carrier large transport experiences a loss of aircraft control and altitude excursion when flying near a line of thunderstorms. Reporter cites moderate to severe turbulence, some injuries, bruises. An inspection of the aircraft would have been required upon landing at dtw.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 372704 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199706 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : eld |
| State Reference | AR |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 38500 msl bound upper : 39800 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zfw tower : lax |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A320 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | enroute : direct enroute airway : zfw |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 1400 |
| ASRS Report | 372704 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 9400 flight time type : 600 |
| ASRS Report | 371564 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other non adherence : clearance other anomaly other anomaly |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : regained aircraft control flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course |
| Consequence | other Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Weather |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
We were 70-80 mi to the east of a thunderstorm. We entered a layer of cirrus clouds. Asked for and got a clearance from FL350 to FL390. About FL385 and climbing about 300 FPM, the aircraft encountered light to moderate turbulence. The autoplt was kicked off. Then we encountered severe turbulence for 10-15 seconds. The aircraft went into a 30+ degree left bank and was climbing through 39800 ft at a rate of 2000 FPM. The first officer rolled the wings level and lowered the nose to recover. I made a PIREP to ATC about going to FL390 and about the severe turbulence. There were no injuries because 10 mins prior to this I had turned on the seat belt sign and made the announcement about possible turbulence. I have been flying for almost 30 yrs and this was my first encounter with this kind of severe turbulence. I hope I don't see any more. Supplemental information from acn 371564: there were minor bruises to the flight attendants and no injuries to the passenger. No damage to the aircraft resulted. The captain's awareness of the turbulence potential and seat belt sign PA just mins prior to the encounter prevented many injuries that could have occurred.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ACR LGT EXPERIENCES A LOSS OF ACFT CTL AND ALT EXCURSION WHEN FLYING NEAR A LINE OF TSTMS. RPTR CITES MODERATE TO SEVERE TURB, SOME INJURIES, BRUISES. AN INSPECTION OF THE ACFT WOULD HAVE BEEN REQUIRED UPON LNDG AT DTW.
Narrative: WE WERE 70-80 MI TO THE E OF A TSTM. WE ENTERED A LAYER OF CIRRUS CLOUDS. ASKED FOR AND GOT A CLRNC FROM FL350 TO FL390. ABOUT FL385 AND CLBING ABOUT 300 FPM, THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED LIGHT TO MODERATE TURB. THE AUTOPLT WAS KICKED OFF. THEN WE ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURB FOR 10-15 SECONDS. THE ACFT WENT INTO A 30+ DEG L BANK AND WAS CLBING THROUGH 39800 FT AT A RATE OF 2000 FPM. THE FO ROLLED THE WINGS LEVEL AND LOWERED THE NOSE TO RECOVER. I MADE A PIREP TO ATC ABOUT GOING TO FL390 AND ABOUT THE SEVERE TURB. THERE WERE NO INJURIES BECAUSE 10 MINS PRIOR TO THIS I HAD TURNED ON THE SEAT BELT SIGN AND MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT POSSIBLE TURB. I HAVE BEEN FLYING FOR ALMOST 30 YRS AND THIS WAS MY FIRST ENCOUNTER WITH THIS KIND OF SEVERE TURB. I HOPE I DON'T SEE ANY MORE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 371564: THERE WERE MINOR BRUISES TO THE FLT ATTENDANTS AND NO INJURIES TO THE PAX. NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT RESULTED. THE CAPT'S AWARENESS OF THE TURB POTENTIAL AND SEAT BELT SIGN PA JUST MINS PRIOR TO THE ENCOUNTER PREVENTED MANY INJURIES THAT COULD HAVE OCCURRED.
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.