A300 flight crew encounters severe turbulence in thunderstorms east of dfw.

Attributes
ACN	591977
Time
Date	200308
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
State Reference	LA
Altitude	msl single value : 33200
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhu.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	591977
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 317
ASRS Report	592140
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : turbulence other anomaly other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Weather Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

Aircraft had 1 hour 20 mins ground time ATC hold for thunderstorms east of dfw. On climb out, had to navigation around numerous thunderstorms. After leveloff, we appeared to have cleared the WX. Went to FL240 on navigation display (maximum range) and showed clear of cells. We were in cirrus when aircraft pitched up 2000 ft and plunged down the same. It was the first officer's leg and he grabbed the yoke as the autoplt disconnected. I selected 30 NM on navigation display and saw we were on a large cell. First officer had started to try left turn exit but I saw it was shorter to the right and redirected him. Turbulence helped roll aircraft to 50 degrees in turn. ACARS did not register any side loads which it is programmed to report. ATC asked me what altitude we were at and I advised them of severe WX encounter and that we were busy recovering. After clearing the cell, aircraft performed ok. Upon arrival, maintenance advised me of damage to nose cone, lightning strikes and other damage to the leading edge of engine #1 and engine #2 pylon panels. Entered event in log. Unable to explain why radar failed to see the cell on 240 range. Aircraft currently undergoing numerous inspections.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A300 FLT CREW ENCOUNTERS SEVERE TURB IN TSTMS E OF DFW.

Narrative: ACFT HAD 1 HR 20 MINS GND TIME ATC HOLD FOR TSTMS E OF DFW. ON CLBOUT, HAD TO NAV AROUND NUMEROUS TSTMS. AFTER LEVELOFF, WE APPEARED TO HAVE CLRED THE WX. WENT TO FL240 ON NAV DISPLAY (MAX RANGE) AND SHOWED CLR OF CELLS. WE WERE IN CIRRUS WHEN ACFT PITCHED UP 2000 FT AND PLUNGED DOWN THE SAME. IT WAS THE FO'S LEG AND HE GRABBED THE YOKE AS THE AUTOPLT DISCONNECTED. I SELECTED 30 NM ON NAV DISPLAY AND SAW WE WERE ON A LARGE CELL. FO HAD STARTED TO TRY L TURN EXIT BUT I SAW IT WAS SHORTER TO THE R AND REDIRECTED HIM. TURB HELPED ROLL ACFT TO 50 DEGS IN TURN. ACARS DID NOT REGISTER ANY SIDE LOADS WHICH IT IS PROGRAMMED TO RPT. ATC ASKED ME WHAT ALT WE WERE AT AND I ADVISED THEM OF SEVERE WX ENCOUNTER AND THAT WE WERE BUSY RECOVERING. AFTER CLRING THE CELL, ACFT PERFORMED OK. UPON ARR, MAINT ADVISED ME OF DAMAGE TO NOSE CONE, LIGHTNING STRIKES AND OTHER DAMAGE TO THE LEADING EDGE OF ENG #1 AND ENG #2 PYLON PANELS. ENTERED EVENT IN LOG. UNABLE TO EXPLAIN WHY RADAR FAILED TO SEE THE CELL ON 240 RANGE. ACFT CURRENTLY UNDERGOING NUMEROUS INSPECTIONS.

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.