Narrative:

Chain of events: how the problem arose: aircraft departure in class C airspace during turbulence. The pilot was departing from kahului airport on runway 2. Winds were 060 degrees at 22 KTS at the time of departure. The pilot had the following clearance that after departure make a right turn to heading 165 degrees, climb and maintain 1000 ft. Upon liftoff from runway 2, a wind correction angle was established and turbulence was encountered. The aircraft climbed to 800 ft, turned right to heading 165 degrees. At 1000 ft, strong turbulence with an updraft of 1500-2000 FPM was encountered. The aircraft climbed to 1900 ft. How it was discovered: the pilot was requested his altitude by ATC. Corrective actions: the pilot reduced power and attitude of the aircraft. ATC assigned a new altitude of 2000 ft and 2000 ft was maintained. Contributing factors: strong winds and turbulence. The pilot was unfamiliar with local wind pattern flow. Human performance considerations: perceptions, judgement, decisions: the pilot contacted a local CFI prior to the flight. The pilot was advised that turbulence was to be expected at 10-15 mi from the airport at mcgregor point. The pilot did not expect the level of turbulence in close proximity to the airport nor ground. Actions or inactions: the pilot maintained control of the aircraft but did not notify ATC of not being able to maintain assigned altitude. Factors affecting the quality of human performance: the pilot was concerned for his family's safety. This was the first flight that the pilot had his entire family aboard and encountered turbulence of this type. The pilot expected an equally strong downdraft and at the current altitude a downdraft between 1500-2000 ft the pilot felt the aircraft could not overcome the descent.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ON A FIRST TIME FLT FROM AN UNFAMILIAR ARPT, A C172 PLT ENCOUNTERS TURB AND UPDRAFTS RESULTING IN A LARGE EXCURSION FROM ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: CHAIN OF EVENTS: HOW THE PROB AROSE: ACFT DEP IN CLASS C AIRSPACE DURING TURB. THE PLT WAS DEPARTING FROM KAHULUI ARPT ON RWY 2. WINDS WERE 060 DEGS AT 22 KTS AT THE TIME OF DEP. THE PLT HAD THE FOLLOWING CLRNC THAT AFTER DEP MAKE A R TURN TO HDG 165 DEGS, CLB AND MAINTAIN 1000 FT. UPON LIFTOFF FROM RWY 2, A WIND CORRECTION ANGLE WAS ESTABLISHED AND TURB WAS ENCOUNTERED. THE ACFT CLBED TO 800 FT, TURNED R TO HDG 165 DEGS. AT 1000 FT, STRONG TURB WITH AN UPDRAFT OF 1500-2000 FPM WAS ENCOUNTERED. THE ACFT CLBED TO 1900 FT. HOW IT WAS DISCOVERED: THE PLT WAS REQUESTED HIS ALT BY ATC. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: THE PLT REDUCED PWR AND ATTITUDE OF THE ACFT. ATC ASSIGNED A NEW ALT OF 2000 FT AND 2000 FT WAS MAINTAINED. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: STRONG WINDS AND TURB. THE PLT WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH LCL WIND PATTERN FLOW. HUMAN PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATIONS: PERCEPTIONS, JUDGEMENT, DECISIONS: THE PLT CONTACTED A LCL CFI PRIOR TO THE FLT. THE PLT WAS ADVISED THAT TURB WAS TO BE EXPECTED AT 10-15 MI FROM THE ARPT AT MCGREGOR POINT. THE PLT DID NOT EXPECT THE LEVEL OF TURB IN CLOSE PROX TO THE ARPT NOR GND. ACTIONS OR INACTIONS: THE PLT MAINTAINED CTL OF THE ACFT BUT DID NOT NOTIFY ATC OF NOT BEING ABLE TO MAINTAIN ASSIGNED ALT. FACTORS AFFECTING THE QUALITY OF HUMAN PERFORMANCE: THE PLT WAS CONCERNED FOR HIS FAMILY'S SAFETY. THIS WAS THE FIRST FLT THAT THE PLT HAD HIS ENTIRE FAMILY ABOARD AND ENCOUNTERED TURB OF THIS TYPE. THE PLT EXPECTED AN EQUALLY STRONG DOWNDRAFT AND AT THE CURRENT ALT A DOWNDRAFT BTWN 1500-2000 FT THE PLT FELT THE ACFT COULD NOT OVERCOME THE DSCNT.

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.