Narrative:

FL300 through FL180. ATC facility: ZDC. Location: vicinity of patuxent VOR. We encountered severe turbulence on descent. ZDC informed us to expect severe turbulence in our descent between FL300 and FL240. Approximately 30 seconds after receiving their warning and with barely enough time to get the flight attendants seated, we hit the turbulence. I considered climbing back up out of the turbulence, but decided that we might get out of the turbulence just as quick by continuing our descent since ARTCC had informed us that FL240 would be smooth. In actuality, we did not reach smooth air until 17000 ft MSL. When center stopped our descent for traffic, I told the first officer to declare an emergency, but before he could transmit the emergency status, center gave us lower and no emergency was declared. Upon leveling at 17000 ft MSL and with a smooth ride, the flight attendants assisted the passenger and determined that no one was injured. All aircraft system were checked and appeared normal other than a rudder unlimited light not coming on. A landing was accomplished with no further difficulties. Abnormal procedures were complied with for no rudder unlimited light. All of our flight attendants handled the situation in an outstanding manner. They made our problem in the cockpit much easier to handle because of the professional way that they reacted to the problems that we encountered on this flight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DSNDING S80 ENCOUNTERS SEVERE TURB FROM FL330 TO 17000 FT. ZDC CTLR HAD WARNED THE FLT AND THE PIC HAD JUST ENOUGH TIME TO SEAT ALL THE PAX AND CABIN ATTENDANTS. NO INJURIES INCURRED.

Narrative: FL300 THROUGH FL180. ATC FACILITY: ZDC. LOCATION: VICINITY OF PATUXENT VOR. WE ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURB ON DSCNT. ZDC INFORMED US TO EXPECT SEVERE TURB IN OUR DSCNT BTWN FL300 AND FL240. APPROX 30 SECONDS AFTER RECEIVING THEIR WARNING AND WITH BARELY ENOUGH TIME TO GET THE FLT ATTENDANTS SEATED, WE HIT THE TURB. I CONSIDERED CLBING BACK UP OUT OF THE TURB, BUT DECIDED THAT WE MIGHT GET OUT OF THE TURB JUST AS QUICK BY CONTINUING OUR DSCNT SINCE ARTCC HAD INFORMED US THAT FL240 WOULD BE SMOOTH. IN ACTUALITY, WE DID NOT REACH SMOOTH AIR UNTIL 17000 FT MSL. WHEN CTR STOPPED OUR DSCNT FOR TFC, I TOLD THE FO TO DECLARE AN EMER, BUT BEFORE HE COULD XMIT THE EMER STATUS, CTR GAVE US LOWER AND NO EMER WAS DECLARED. UPON LEVELING AT 17000 FT MSL AND WITH A SMOOTH RIDE, THE FLT ATTENDANTS ASSISTED THE PAX AND DETERMINED THAT NO ONE WAS INJURED. ALL ACFT SYS WERE CHKED AND APPEARED NORMAL OTHER THAN A RUDDER UNLIMITED LIGHT NOT COMING ON. A LNDG WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITH NO FURTHER DIFFICULTIES. ABNORMAL PROCS WERE COMPLIED WITH FOR NO RUDDER UNLIMITED LIGHT. ALL OF OUR FLT ATTENDANTS HANDLED THE SIT IN AN OUTSTANDING MANNER. THEY MADE OUR PROB IN THE COCKPIT MUCH EASIER TO HANDLE BECAUSE OF THE PROFESSIONAL WAY THAT THEY REACTED TO THE PROBS THAT WE ENCOUNTERED ON THIS FLT.

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.