MD88 ACFT IN CLB WITHIN 500 FT OF LEVELING ENCOUNTERED SEVERE JOLT FROM WHAT WAS BELIEVED TO BE WAKE TURB. ACFT IMMEDIATELY ROLLED 60 DEGS L; AUTOPLT WAS DISCONNECTED AND FLC GAINED CTL. IN COORD WITH ATC; DSNDED TO A LOWER ALT. IN TRAIL WITH B767 APPROX 18 MI AHEAD. WINDS WERE VERY STRONG AND ON THE NOSE OF ACFT.

Narrative

FLT WAS PASSING FL345 FOR FL350 WHEN IT ENCOUNTERED A SEVERE BUMP FROM WHAT IS BELIEVED TO BE WAKE TURB. THE ACFT ROLLED L 60 DEGS AND AFTER THE 1 SEVERE BUMP; HAD ONLY MINOR TURB IN THE FEW SECONDS THAT FOLLOWED. ATC WAS NOTIFIED AND THE ACFT HAND FLOWN DOWN TO FL330. THE WINDS WERE 110 KTS DIRECTLY ON THE NOSE AND THE PLANE WAS 18 MI BEHIND A B767 AT FL350. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPT WAS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE WAKE TURB INCIDENT CALLBACK QUESTIONNAIRE. RPTR CAPT'S FLT HRS WERE CONFIRMED AS WELL AS ACFT TYPE (MD88). FO WAS PF AND THE ACFT WAS JUST ABOUT TO LEVEL AT FL350; WHEN THEY HIT A SEVERE JOLT WHICH IMMEDIATELY PUT ACFT IN A 60 DEG L BANK. THE AUTOPLT WAS DISCONNECTED AND AFTER BOTH THE CAPT AND FO GRABBED THE YOKE; THE CAPT GOT OFF THE CTLS AND CONTACTED ATC TO REQUEST A LOWER ALT WHICH THEY GAVE. RPTR SAYS THAT THE B767 WHICH WAS IN FRONT OF THEM MUST HAVE BEEN THE CAUSE AND BECAUSE OF THE EXTREMELY STRONG WIND; 110 KTS; THE WAKE WAS CARRIED RAPIDLY TO THE RPTR ACFT AND DROPPED SLIGHTLY BECAUSE THEY HIT IT AT FL345 AND THE B767 WAS AT FL350. RPTR BELIEVES THAT IF ATC HAD THE WIND INFO AND THE OTHER ACFT AHEAD ON THE AIRWAY THEY COULD HAVE ALERTED THE FLC TO THE POTENTIAL HAZARD. NOBODY ON THE RPTR ACFT WAS INJURED NOR WAS THERE ANY DISPLACED CARGO OR BAGGAGE.