A B737-300 crew encountered a 20 second severe turbulence upset with flight attendants and passenger...

Attributes
ACN	682441
Time
Date	200601
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zau.artcc
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 20500 msl bound upper : 23000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau.artcc tower : zzz.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	682441
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : turbulence inflight encounter : weather other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : regained aircraft control
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Weather
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

About 40 mi north of rbs VOR on climb out; encountered a severe turbulence event climbing through 20.5K en route to 23K. Flight attendants had been asked to 'stay down' and were at the time seated. Seatbelt sign was on and all passenger were seated. No injuries occurred. About 20 seconds in duration; with minimal g-loading; maybe +1.5 - 1.0. WX radar was on and painting a large area of 'green' with some yellow/red to far sides of scope (clear on either side of small green area in front of us). As we approached the green cells in front of us; a break occurred in the clouds and we saw a fairly large cell in front of us and an opening to the left (southeast). We informed ATC of our deviation as we were turning. The event occurred after about 20 degrees of turn away from the larger cell on our nose (we were on the western edge of the smaller cell; as we were going between the 2 'green' cells). Control wheel was almost full right trying to stop the leftward rolling moment. Required significant forward control to right the aircraft. Report filed with dispatch and maintenance immediately. Request sent to get aircraft mechanic to inspect aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 CREW ENCOUNTERED A 20 SECOND SEVERE TURB UPSET WITH FLT ATTENDANTS AND PAX SEATED.

Narrative: ABOUT 40 MI N OF RBS VOR ON CLBOUT; ENCOUNTERED A SEVERE TURB EVENT CLBING THROUGH 20.5K ENRTE TO 23K. FLT ATTENDANTS HAD BEEN ASKED TO 'STAY DOWN' AND WERE AT THE TIME SEATED. SEATBELT SIGN WAS ON AND ALL PAX WERE SEATED. NO INJURIES OCCURRED. ABOUT 20 SECONDS IN DURATION; WITH MINIMAL G-LOADING; MAYBE +1.5 - 1.0. WX RADAR WAS ON AND PAINTING A LARGE AREA OF 'GREEN' WITH SOME YELLOW/RED TO FAR SIDES OF SCOPE (CLR ON EITHER SIDE OF SMALL GREEN AREA IN FRONT OF US). AS WE APCHED THE GREEN CELLS IN FRONT OF US; A BREAK OCCURRED IN THE CLOUDS AND WE SAW A FAIRLY LARGE CELL IN FRONT OF US AND AN OPENING TO THE L (SE). WE INFORMED ATC OF OUR DEV AS WE WERE TURNING. THE EVENT OCCURRED AFTER ABOUT 20 DEGS OF TURN AWAY FROM THE LARGER CELL ON OUR NOSE (WE WERE ON THE WESTERN EDGE OF THE SMALLER CELL; AS WE WERE GOING BTWN THE 2 'GREEN' CELLS). CTL WHEEL WAS ALMOST FULL R TRYING TO STOP THE LEFTWARD ROLLING MOMENT. REQUIRED SIGNIFICANT FORWARD CTL TO RIGHT THE ACFT. RPT FILED WITH DISPATCH AND MAINT IMMEDIATELY. REQUEST SENT TO GET ACFT MECH TO INSPECT ACFT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.

A B737-300 crew encountered a 20 second severe turbulence upset with flight attendants and passenger seated.