Narrative:

During preflight brief with dispatcher, we discussed numerous reports of severe turbulence west and north of den. Dispatch filed us rockie 3 to avoid area, which I agreed very prudent. He said ATC was less than pleased, and wanted us over larame on yellow 3, but that would take us into severe turbulence area. Armed with that knowledge departed gate with pre departure clearance clearly stating rockie 3 departure den tower launched us off runway 25 and at handoff to den departure, we were given north heading. After short time, I had first officer query ATC for our turn back for west departure. What I got was an argument from ATC that I should have verified my clearance before takeoff. I did. He went off-line for a short time, and acquiesced. Gave us south heading and then direct rks. I refused, told him that would drive us right through area I was trying to avoid. Handed off to next controller, and given direct ekr, which due to our extended track north, would still take us into turbulent area. I asked for further south to get better angle, for due west heading to ekr. ATC said no reports that area regarding turbulence, and they had traffic to contend with. They were really pushing us to go north, and less than pleased at our attempt to avoid the area. After what I call badgering to go ekr, I accepted turn and climb. Both departure controllers were pushing hard for us to go north and were obviously not fond of our plan. I had flight attendants seated. Aircraft speed 15 KTS below turbulent air penetration. I placed igniters on as a precaution. At 29500, sudden and severe turbulence encountered. I was hand flying aircraft, and immediately had a hand full. I told first officer to get FL280 now! Got out of turbulence at FL288. Notified ATC and dispatch of location and severity. As prudent judgement, I notified maintenance for an aircraft inspection upon arrival. Had I gone into area ATC wanted, I would have encountered severe turbulence, and would not have had the escape path to the south I had. ATC was belligerent and wanted us to go north only to expedite their traffic flow. I had a plan, and I made sure my people were prepared and safe. I had made a reinforcing PA to keep passenger in seat belts a very short time before encounter. My flight attendants were well briefed and prepared by me. One complained of a sore shoulder from wrenching against seatbelt shoulder strap during turbulence encounter. All else ok. Maintenance found aircraft in good order, and no overstress. Computer's report indicated need for visual inspection only. ATC should listen to experience and reason from flight crews. In particular, pertaining to WX and turbulence. I know there needs to be flow management, but not when severe turbulence is reported by DC10's unable to maintain altitude!

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DEN A320 DEP EXPERIENCED TURB INCIDENT.

Narrative: DURING PREFLT BRIEF WITH DISPATCHER, WE DISCUSSED NUMEROUS RPTS OF SEVERE TURB W AND N OF DEN. DISPATCH FILED US ROCKIE 3 TO AVOID AREA, WHICH I AGREED VERY PRUDENT. HE SAID ATC WAS LESS THAN PLEASED, AND WANTED US OVER LARAME ON YELLOW 3, BUT THAT WOULD TAKE US INTO SEVERE TURB AREA. ARMED WITH THAT KNOWLEDGE DEPARTED GATE WITH PDC CLRLY STATING ROCKIE 3 DEP DEN TWR LAUNCHED US OFF RWY 25 AND AT HDOF TO DEN DEP, WE WERE GIVEN N HDG. AFTER SHORT TIME, I HAD FO QUERY ATC FOR OUR TURN BACK FOR W DEP. WHAT I GOT WAS AN ARGUMENT FROM ATC THAT I SHOULD HAVE VERIFIED MY CLRNC BEFORE TKOF. I DID. HE WENT OFF-LINE FOR A SHORT TIME, AND ACQUIESCED. GAVE US S HDG AND THEN DIRECT RKS. I REFUSED, TOLD HIM THAT WOULD DRIVE US RIGHT THROUGH AREA I WAS TRYING TO AVOID. HANDED OFF TO NEXT CTLR, AND GIVEN DIRECT EKR, WHICH DUE TO OUR EXTENDED TRACK N, WOULD STILL TAKE US INTO TURBULENT AREA. I ASKED FOR FURTHER S TO GET BETTER ANGLE, FOR DUE W HDG TO EKR. ATC SAID NO RPTS THAT AREA REGARDING TURB, AND THEY HAD TFC TO CONTEND WITH. THEY WERE REALLY PUSHING US TO GO N, AND LESS THAN PLEASED AT OUR ATTEMPT TO AVOID THE AREA. AFTER WHAT I CALL BADGERING TO GO EKR, I ACCEPTED TURN AND CLB. BOTH DEP CTLRS WERE PUSHING HARD FOR US TO GO N AND WERE OBVIOUSLY NOT FOND OF OUR PLAN. I HAD FLT ATTENDANTS SEATED. ACFT SPD 15 KTS BELOW TURBULENT AIR PENETRATION. I PLACED IGNITERS ON AS A PRECAUTION. AT 29500, SUDDEN AND SEVERE TURB ENCOUNTERED. I WAS HAND FLYING ACFT, AND IMMEDIATELY HAD A HAND FULL. I TOLD FO TO GET FL280 NOW! GOT OUT OF TURB AT FL288. NOTIFIED ATC AND DISPATCH OF LOCATION AND SEVERITY. AS PRUDENT JUDGEMENT, I NOTIFIED MAINT FOR AN ACFT INSPECTION UPON ARR. HAD I GONE INTO AREA ATC WANTED, I WOULD HAVE ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURB, AND WOULD NOT HAVE HAD THE ESCAPE PATH TO THE S I HAD. ATC WAS BELLIGERENT AND WANTED US TO GO N ONLY TO EXPEDITE THEIR TFC FLOW. I HAD A PLAN, AND I MADE SURE MY PEOPLE WERE PREPARED AND SAFE. I HAD MADE A REINFORCING PA TO KEEP PAX IN SEAT BELTS A VERY SHORT TIME BEFORE ENCOUNTER. MY FLT ATTENDANTS WERE WELL BRIEFED AND PREPARED BY ME. ONE COMPLAINED OF A SORE SHOULDER FROM WRENCHING AGAINST SEATBELT SHOULDER STRAP DURING TURB ENCOUNTER. ALL ELSE OK. MAINT FOUND ACFT IN GOOD ORDER, AND NO OVERSTRESS. COMPUTER'S RPT INDICATED NEED FOR VISUAL INSPECTION ONLY. ATC SHOULD LISTEN TO EXPERIENCE AND REASON FROM FLT CREWS. IN PARTICULAR, PERTAINING TO WX AND TURB. I KNOW THERE NEEDS TO BE FLOW MGMNT, BUT NOT WHEN SEVERE TURB IS RPTED BY DC10'S UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALT!

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.