CL65 crew had an altitude deviation after encountering a thunderstorm updraft in dca class B airspace. The crew diverted to a more suitable airport.

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Attributes
ACN	592366
Time
Date	200308
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : dca.vor
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 9700
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm Turbulence other
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pct.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet CL65, Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent : holding
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	592366
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 7100 flight time type : 3600
ASRS Report	592365
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : turbulence inflight encounter other non adherence : clearance other anomaly
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : regained aircraft control flight crew : returned to assigned altitude flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : overrode automation
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

Vector ILS runway 1 dca. Thunderstorm over final approach. Vector off approach and holding pattern at 9000 ft. After holding near thunderstorm, entered IMC. Encountered moderate turbulence, autoplt disengaged. Captain assumed manual control and applied control inputs to level and descend aircraft. Aircraft was ascending at 1000 FPM due to updraft from thunderstorm to 9700 ft MSL. Aircraft recovered and descended to 9000 ft MSL and asked to divert to richmond. ATC asked about altitude deviation. Supplemental information from acn 592365: ATC broke us off the approach and began to vector us in a box pattern southwest. We approached a cell on a northerly heading. 9000 ft in IMC, aircraft entered moderate turbulence, autoplt disengaged, and stall warning system briefly activated the stick shaker. ATC queried, 'are you guys going to stop climbing or what?' I explained the situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CL65 CREW HAD AN ALTDEV AFTER ENCOUNTERING A TSTM UPDRAFT IN DCA CLASS B AIRSPACE. THE CREW DIVERTED TO A MORE SUITABLE ARPT.

Narrative: VECTOR ILS RWY 1 DCA. TSTM OVER FINAL APCH. VECTOR OFF APCH AND HOLDING PATTERN AT 9000 FT. AFTER HOLDING NEAR TSTM, ENTERED IMC. ENCOUNTERED MODERATE TURB, AUTOPLT DISENGAGED. CAPT ASSUMED MANUAL CTL AND APPLIED CTL INPUTS TO LEVEL AND DSND ACFT. ACFT WAS ASCENDING AT 1000 FPM DUE TO UPDRAFT FROM TSTM TO 9700 FT MSL. ACFT RECOVERED AND DSNDED TO 9000 FT MSL AND ASKED TO DIVERT TO RICHMOND. ATC ASKED ABOUT ALTDEV. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 592365: ATC BROKE US OFF THE APCH AND BEGAN TO VECTOR US IN A BOX PATTERN SW. WE APCHED A CELL ON A NORTHERLY HDG. 9000 FT IN IMC, ACFT ENTERED MODERATE TURB, AUTOPLT DISENGAGED, AND STALL WARNING SYS BRIEFLY ACTIVATED THE STICK SHAKER. ATC QUERIED, 'ARE YOU GUYS GOING TO STOP CLBING OR WHAT?' I EXPLAINED THE SIT.

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.