Incident Overview
During a ferry flight en route to Australia, a Cessna 337 encountered sudden and severe turbulence at an altitude of 6,000 feet MSL. The turbulence inflicted substantial damage to the aircraft's wings. The pilot, who was unbuckled at the time to tune an HF radio located behind the seat, experienced the aircraft pitching up then down to a near-vertical attitude.
Aircraft and Flight Details
The aircraft was a Cessna 337, operating on a ferry flight. The flight was heading towards Australia when the turbulence occurred. The pilot had unstrapped to reach a radio behind the seat, leaving the seatbelt unfastened during the encounter.
Sequence of Events
While cruising, the aircraft was hit by severe turbulence. The sudden forces caused the aircraft to pitch up sharply before pitching down to an extreme nose-down attitude, nearly vertical. The turbulence resulted in substantial structural damage to the wings.
Aftermath
Despite the severe upset and damage, the pilot managed to regain control of the aircraft. He then flew back to Honolulu without further incident. The aircraft landed uneventfully after the encounter.