BE40 crew had an aircraft upset after getting too close to a thunderstorm in ZJX class a.

Attributes
ACN	581863
Time
Date	200305
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : hobee
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl single value : 39000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Rain Turbulence Thunderstorm
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zjx.artcc
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Beechjet 400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute airway : ar1.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	581863
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : wx radar altimeter other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : regained aircraft control flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was the captain of a BE40 on may/sun/03, traveling from teb to bct on AR1, 75 mi north of hobee intersection. We were at FL390 in IMC conditions, in cruise with the autoplt engaged. An area of thunderstorms was being depicted on WX radar about 50 mi ahead. A deviation left of course was requested and received from ZJX. While deviating, we encountered a buildup that was not depicted on radar. Heavy rain and severe turbulence were encountered resulting in the autoplt disengaging, the aircraft being rolled left 45 degrees, and a loss of 1200 ft. The aircraft was recovered back to FL390, and the entire scenario took less than 1 min. ZJX did not question the altitude deviation, and even though I did not think I could be violated for an altitude deviation due to WX, I did not relay the encounter to ZJX. I see no way in which it could have been avoided, since we could neither see it visually or see it on radar. I do, however, think my sic was slow to react, and that some of the altitude loss could have been avoided with quicker response to the unusual attitude. In hindsight, I should have assumed control of the aircraft as the PNF, and recovered the aircraft back to FL390 quicker. There were no injuries to passenger or crew, and no damage to the aircraft. All of the radar depicted thunderstorms were avoided and the rest of the flight was uneventful. Aircraft landed at bct without further incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE40 CREW HAD AN ACFT UPSET AFTER GETTING TOO CLOSE TO A TSTM IN ZJX CLASS A.

Narrative: I WAS THE CAPT OF A BE40 ON MAY/SUN/03, TRAVELING FROM TEB TO BCT ON AR1, 75 MI N OF HOBEE INTXN. WE WERE AT FL390 IN IMC CONDITIONS, IN CRUISE WITH THE AUTOPLT ENGAGED. AN AREA OF TSTMS WAS BEING DEPICTED ON WX RADAR ABOUT 50 MI AHEAD. A DEV L OF COURSE WAS REQUESTED AND RECEIVED FROM ZJX. WHILE DEVIATING, WE ENCOUNTERED A BUILDUP THAT WAS NOT DEPICTED ON RADAR. HEAVY RAIN AND SEVERE TURB WERE ENCOUNTERED RESULTING IN THE AUTOPLT DISENGAGING, THE ACFT BEING ROLLED L 45 DEGS, AND A LOSS OF 1200 FT. THE ACFT WAS RECOVERED BACK TO FL390, AND THE ENTIRE SCENARIO TOOK LESS THAN 1 MIN. ZJX DID NOT QUESTION THE ALTDEV, AND EVEN THOUGH I DID NOT THINK I COULD BE VIOLATED FOR AN ALTDEV DUE TO WX, I DID NOT RELAY THE ENCOUNTER TO ZJX. I SEE NO WAY IN WHICH IT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED, SINCE WE COULD NEITHER SEE IT VISUALLY OR SEE IT ON RADAR. I DO, HOWEVER, THINK MY SIC WAS SLOW TO REACT, AND THAT SOME OF THE ALT LOSS COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED WITH QUICKER RESPONSE TO THE UNUSUAL ATTITUDE. IN HINDSIGHT, I SHOULD HAVE ASSUMED CTL OF THE ACFT AS THE PNF, AND RECOVERED THE ACFT BACK TO FL390 QUICKER. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO PAX OR CREW, AND NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. ALL OF THE RADAR DEPICTED TSTMS WERE AVOIDED AND THE REST OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. ACFT LANDED AT BCT WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.

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.