MD80 crew encountered severe turbulence and severe wave action in ZOA class a airspace.

Attributes
ACN	493560
Time
Date	200011
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : czq.vortac
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 34000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Weather Elements	Turbulence other
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa.artcc tower : ord.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	493560
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

Severe turbulence/wave activity encounter. While cruising at FL310 over pgs, we began to receive reports of aircraft getting wave activity west of our position. We climbed into smooth FL350 and continued uneventfully until some 120 mi east of clovis, ca. There we encountered a brief period of moderate wave action with light to moderate chop. We received a report of an aircraft at FL310 who encountered severe mountain wave and turbulence at FL310, and secured our cabin and seated flight attendants. At 88 DME east of clovis, we encountered severe mountain wave with a very brief period of severe turbulence for approximately 45 seconds. While going through the very westerly portion of the wave, the aircraft reached mach .858 with throttles closed. We did not resist altitude changes as this only further loads the flight controls. We settled at FL340 and returned to FL350. Reported area to ATC and recommended that no one else fly through this area. No injuries. Passenger all seemed fine as they exited the aircraft. Made entry on aircraft log describing in full this event.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 CREW ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURB AND SEVERE WAVE ACTION IN ZOA CLASS A AIRSPACE.

Narrative: SEVERE TURB/WAVE ACTIVITY ENCOUNTER. WHILE CRUISING AT FL310 OVER PGS, WE BEGAN TO RECEIVE RPTS OF ACFT GETTING WAVE ACTIVITY W OF OUR POS. WE CLBED INTO SMOOTH FL350 AND CONTINUED UNEVENTFULLY UNTIL SOME 120 MI E OF CLOVIS, CA. THERE WE ENCOUNTERED A BRIEF PERIOD OF MODERATE WAVE ACTION WITH LIGHT TO MODERATE CHOP. WE RECEIVED A RPT OF AN ACFT AT FL310 WHO ENCOUNTERED SEVERE MOUNTAIN WAVE AND TURB AT FL310, AND SECURED OUR CABIN AND SEATED FLT ATTENDANTS. AT 88 DME E OF CLOVIS, WE ENCOUNTERED SEVERE MOUNTAIN WAVE WITH A VERY BRIEF PERIOD OF SEVERE TURB FOR APPROX 45 SECONDS. WHILE GOING THROUGH THE VERY WESTERLY PORTION OF THE WAVE, THE ACFT REACHED MACH .858 WITH THROTTLES CLOSED. WE DID NOT RESIST ALT CHANGES AS THIS ONLY FURTHER LOADS THE FLT CTLS. WE SETTLED AT FL340 AND RETURNED TO FL350. RPTED AREA TO ATC AND RECOMMENDED THAT NO ONE ELSE FLY THROUGH THIS AREA. NO INJURIES. PAX ALL SEEMED FINE AS THEY EXITED THE ACFT. MADE ENTRY ON ACFT LOG DESCRIBING IN FULL THIS EVENT.

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.