Narrative:

While in cruise flight at FL370, operating as flight from iah- cvg, we approached and entered an area of high altitude clouds approximately 150 NM southwest of pxv VOR while navigating on airway J29. We started to encounter some light turbulence and notified the flight attendant and turned on the seat belt sign. Shortly afterward, we encountered severe turbulence. The autoplt tripped off and while I tried to maintain our assigned altitude, the airspeed lost about 25 KTS. At this point we requested an immediate descent to a lower altitude but could not receive any instructions from ATC due to static on the radio. We then entered 7700 into the transponder and continued to descend to FL350. I asked the first officer to try to establish communication with ATC using the #2 radio. Communications was re- established and we notified ATC of the situation and explained the event. We received our original transponder code and a clearance to descend to FL290. There was no damage to the aircraft and there were no injuries to the crew or passenger. The flight continued to the destination in smooth ride conditions. At the time of the incident, we felt that the ctlability of the aircraft was compromised and the safety of the flight was in jeopardy. With that in mind, I exercised the PIC emergency authority/authorized to meet the needs of the emergency to ensure the continued safety of the flight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF CL65RJ ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURB AND WERE UNABLE TO REQUEST LOWER DUE TO RADIO STATIC. UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ASSIGNED ALT, THEY SQUAWKED 7700 AND DSNDED TO SMOOTH ALT.

Narrative: WHILE IN CRUISE FLT AT FL370, OPERATING AS FLT FROM IAH- CVG, WE APCHED AND ENTERED AN AREA OF HIGH ALT CLOUDS APPROX 150 NM SW OF PXV VOR WHILE NAVING ON AIRWAY J29. WE STARTED TO ENCOUNTER SOME LIGHT TURB AND NOTIFIED THE FLT ATTENDANT AND TURNED ON THE SEAT BELT SIGN. SHORTLY AFTERWARD, WE ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURB. THE AUTOPLT TRIPPED OFF AND WHILE I TRIED TO MAINTAIN OUR ASSIGNED ALT, THE AIRSPD LOST ABOUT 25 KTS. AT THIS POINT WE REQUESTED AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT TO A LOWER ALT BUT COULD NOT RECEIVE ANY INSTRUCTIONS FROM ATC DUE TO STATIC ON THE RADIO. WE THEN ENTERED 7700 INTO THE XPONDER AND CONTINUED TO DSND TO FL350. I ASKED THE FO TO TRY TO ESTABLISH COM WITH ATC USING THE #2 RADIO. COMS WAS RE- ESTABLISHED AND WE NOTIFIED ATC OF THE SIT AND EXPLAINED THE EVENT. WE RECEIVED OUR ORIGINAL XPONDER CODE AND A CLRNC TO DSND TO FL290. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO THE CREW OR PAX. THE FLT CONTINUED TO THE DEST IN SMOOTH RIDE CONDITIONS. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, WE FELT THAT THE CTLABILITY OF THE ACFT WAS COMPROMISED AND THE SAFETY OF THE FLT WAS IN JEOPARDY. WITH THAT IN MIND, I EXERCISED THE PIC EMER AUTH TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE EMER TO ENSURE THE CONTINUED SAFETY OF THE 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.