Jet crosswinds and heavy WX caused pilot of corp aircraft to deviate from course. ARTCC controller v...

Attributes
ACN	106560
Time
Date	198903
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : eno
State Reference	DE
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute airway : dca
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	106560
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flying from atl to bvy (boston area) 33000', ground speeds 360-380 KTS. Flight conditions night, thunderstorms, lightning heavy buildups (heavy rain) IMC, light to moderate turbulence. Prior to handoff to ZDC received a long route change. I had asked for WX deviation prior to radio communication change, and was approved. A new sector (center) asked if I was going direct to kenton VOR. I said yes. Center was very busy, he asked my heading, it was 030 degrees and I needed to fly right or left due to WX. He said, turn left to 010 degrees, go direct to VOR, I was in someone else's airspace, and hold heading 010 degrees until intercept of J191. I verified J191 radial or heading to be 044 degrees. Later new sector controller and another long route change. I believed my heading was contributing factors enough to keep me in arwy and miss heavy buildups. Route changes not timely. Unfamiliar with area. ZDC controller very busy. It is hard to read map/charts at night in turbulence and WX. I could use better night lighting in cockpit. Suggest route changes be made sooner, maps/charts be produced with larger print for ease of reading and interpret.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: JET CROSSWINDS AND HEAVY WX CAUSED PLT OF CORP ACFT TO DEVIATE FROM COURSE. ARTCC CTLR VECTORED ACFT BACK TO COURSE.

Narrative: FLYING FROM ATL TO BVY (BOSTON AREA) 33000', GND SPDS 360-380 KTS. FLT CONDITIONS NIGHT, TSTMS, LIGHTNING HVY BUILDUPS (HVY RAIN) IMC, LIGHT TO MODERATE TURB. PRIOR TO HDOF TO ZDC RECEIVED A LONG ROUTE CHANGE. I HAD ASKED FOR WX DEVIATION PRIOR TO RADIO COM CHANGE, AND WAS APPROVED. A NEW SECTOR (CENTER) ASKED IF I WAS GOING DIRECT TO KENTON VOR. I SAID YES. CENTER WAS VERY BUSY, HE ASKED MY HDG, IT WAS 030 DEGS AND I NEEDED TO FLY RIGHT OR LEFT DUE TO WX. HE SAID, TURN LEFT TO 010 DEGS, GO DIRECT TO VOR, I WAS IN SOMEONE ELSE'S AIRSPACE, AND HOLD HDG 010 DEGS UNTIL INTERCEPT OF J191. I VERIFIED J191 RADIAL OR HDG TO BE 044 DEGS. LATER NEW SECTOR CTLR AND ANOTHER LONG ROUTE CHANGE. I BELIEVED MY HDG WAS CONTRIBUTING FACTORS ENOUGH TO KEEP ME IN ARWY AND MISS HVY BUILDUPS. ROUTE CHANGES NOT TIMELY. UNFAMILIAR WITH AREA. ZDC CTLR VERY BUSY. IT IS HARD TO READ MAP/CHARTS AT NIGHT IN TURB AND WX. I COULD USE BETTER NIGHT LIGHTING IN COCKPIT. SUGGEST ROUTE CHANGES BE MADE SOONER, MAPS/CHARTS BE PRODUCED WITH LARGER PRINT FOR EASE OF READING AND INTERPRET.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.

Jet crosswinds and heavy WX caused pilot of corp aircraft to deviate from course. ARTCC controller vectored aircraft back to course.