Narrative:

Around XA00 I was flying near centerville, tn, in IMC at 7000 ft MSL. I knew that there were thunderstorms in the area, but I had no WX avoidance equipment. At the time I was talking to ZME and asked the controller to help pick my way around any heavy precipitation. The controller that I was talking to told me he could not see any precipitation in my area. Scanning my instruments, I called ZME and told them I could not maintain 7000 ft MSL as I was climbing 1000 FPM. The controller told me he was seeing nothing on his radar. Now the airplane is all over the sky, it was pouring down rain and I was in the worst turbulence I've ever been in, in my 18 yrs of flying. It was everything I could do to keep the wings level. My altitude went from 7000 ft MSL to 8000 ft MSL and down to 6000 ft MSL in a matter of seconds. ZME handed me off to bna approach, and the controller was able to see the WX I was in and vectored me away from it. Problem: 1) I did not have any WX avoidance equipment on the aircraft. 2) the controller at ZME could not see the WX on his radar. Correct the situation: 1) put WX avoidance equipment on the aircraft. 2) update every ATC radar so that controllers can pick up WX.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT IS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CRUISE ALT DUE TO HVY TURB FROM TSTMS AND RAIN.

Narrative: AROUND XA00 I WAS FLYING NEAR CENTERVILLE, TN, IN IMC AT 7000 FT MSL. I KNEW THAT THERE WERE TSTMS IN THE AREA, BUT I HAD NO WX AVOIDANCE EQUIP. AT THE TIME I WAS TALKING TO ZME AND ASKED THE CTLR TO HELP PICK MY WAY AROUND ANY HVY PRECIP. THE CTLR THAT I WAS TALKING TO TOLD ME HE COULD NOT SEE ANY PRECIP IN MY AREA. SCANNING MY INSTS, I CALLED ZME AND TOLD THEM I COULD NOT MAINTAIN 7000 FT MSL AS I WAS CLBING 1000 FPM. THE CTLR TOLD ME HE WAS SEEING NOTHING ON HIS RADAR. NOW THE AIRPLANE IS ALL OVER THE SKY, IT WAS POURING DOWN RAIN AND I WAS IN THE WORST TURB I'VE EVER BEEN IN, IN MY 18 YRS OF FLYING. IT WAS EVERYTHING I COULD DO TO KEEP THE WINGS LEVEL. MY ALT WENT FROM 7000 FT MSL TO 8000 FT MSL AND DOWN TO 6000 FT MSL IN A MATTER OF SECONDS. ZME HANDED ME OFF TO BNA APCH, AND THE CTLR WAS ABLE TO SEE THE WX I WAS IN AND VECTORED ME AWAY FROM IT. PROB: 1) I DID NOT HAVE ANY WX AVOIDANCE EQUIP ON THE ACFT. 2) THE CTLR AT ZME COULD NOT SEE THE WX ON HIS RADAR. CORRECT THE SIT: 1) PUT WX AVOIDANCE EQUIP ON THE ACFT. 2) UPDATE EVERY ATC RADAR SO THAT CTLRS CAN PICK UP WX.

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.