A cargo aircraft encountered extreme turbulence at FL320. An emergency was declared with a diversion to a nearby airport.

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Attributes
ACN	714528
Time
Date	200610
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zob.artcc
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl single value : 32000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Turbulence Windshear
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody Low Wing 2 Turbojet Eng
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 : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	714528
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 111 flight time total : 4100 flight time type : 2193
ASRS Report	714539
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : turbulence other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action flight crew : took evasive action flight crew : regained aircraft control flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : diverted to another airport
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

Aircraft encountered extreme turbulence at FL320 in the top of a cloud deck. No radar returns on any range at any tilt angle. There were reports of moderate turbulence at our altitude from center; so I had already slowed the aircraft to turbulence speed as a precaution. The onset of turbulence was sudden and violent and I was unable to control speed or altitude. I disconnected autoplt and autothrottles but we lost and gained 1000 ft altitude from assigned FL320. Speed varied from mmo to vls (1.3 vertical speed) minus 15-20 KTS. Stall region; engine power was varied from idle to firewall power. First officer made full report to center during the encounter; and emphasized inability to maintain altitude. Encounter lasted approximately 5 mins (35-40 NM). I decided to land at ZZZ for inspection due to extreme turbulence and landed approximately 10000 pounds over maximum landing weight. My company is conducting a thorough inspection of this aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CARGO ACFT ENCOUNTERED EXTREME TURB AT FL320. AN EMER WAS DECLARED WITH A DIVERSION TO A NEARBY ARPT.

Narrative: ACFT ENCOUNTERED EXTREME TURB AT FL320 IN THE TOP OF A CLOUD DECK. NO RADAR RETURNS ON ANY RANGE AT ANY TILT ANGLE. THERE WERE RPTS OF MODERATE TURB AT OUR ALT FROM CTR; SO I HAD ALREADY SLOWED THE ACFT TO TURB SPD AS A PRECAUTION. THE ONSET OF TURB WAS SUDDEN AND VIOLENT AND I WAS UNABLE TO CTL SPD OR ALT. I DISCONNECTED AUTOPLT AND AUTOTHROTTLES BUT WE LOST AND GAINED 1000 FT ALT FROM ASSIGNED FL320. SPD VARIED FROM MMO TO VLS (1.3 VERT SPD) MINUS 15-20 KTS. STALL REGION; ENG PWR WAS VARIED FROM IDLE TO FIREWALL PWR. FO MADE FULL RPT TO CTR DURING THE ENCOUNTER; AND EMPHASIZED INABILITY TO MAINTAIN ALT. ENCOUNTER LASTED APPROX 5 MINS (35-40 NM). I DECIDED TO LAND AT ZZZ FOR INSPECTION DUE TO EXTREME TURB AND LANDED APPROX 10000 LBS OVER MAX LNDG WT. MY COMPANY IS CONDUCTING A THOROUGH INSPECTION OF THIS 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.