Air carrier flight crew changes holding pattern direction to avoid severe WX.

Attributes
ACN	129365
Time
Date	198911
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rbv
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 1600
ASRS Report	129365
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : took evasive action other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

A holding clearance was issued by ZNY to hold over the robbinsville VOR left-hand turns at 9000'. On the outbnd leg the aircraft radar showed a possibility of severe turbulence and very heavy precipitation. I advised ZNY of the heavy WX and told them I was making a right-hand turn back to the VOR. ZNY instructed me to squawk code 7700. A few mins later a regular discrete transponder code was given. Flight conditions at the holding fix were heavy icing (about 1 1/2' on wiper blades) and mod turbulence. The WX returns on our airborne radar showed much worse WX, possibly severe turbulence, if the left-hand pattern was continued. ZNY was very busy instructing aircraft as the WX front was more or less not forecasted. Also, an aircraft had a stuck microphone about the time we were requesting a WX deviation. I used the captain's emergency authority as written in far 121 to circumnav a severe meteorological condition. Note: about the same time an large transport was blown 50 degree off the gate at ewr. Wind gusts were reported to 63 KTS. A widebody transport was blown into a fence at jfk.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLT CREW CHANGES HOLDING PATTERN DIRECTION TO AVOID SEVERE WX.

Narrative: A HOLDING CLRNC WAS ISSUED BY ZNY TO HOLD OVER THE ROBBINSVILLE VOR LEFT-HAND TURNS AT 9000'. ON THE OUTBND LEG THE ACFT RADAR SHOWED A POSSIBILITY OF SEVERE TURBULENCE AND VERY HEAVY PRECIPITATION. I ADVISED ZNY OF THE HEAVY WX AND TOLD THEM I WAS MAKING A RIGHT-HAND TURN BACK TO THE VOR. ZNY INSTRUCTED ME TO SQUAWK CODE 7700. A FEW MINS LATER A REGULAR DISCRETE XPONDER CODE WAS GIVEN. FLT CONDITIONS AT THE HOLDING FIX WERE HEAVY ICING (ABOUT 1 1/2' ON WIPER BLADES) AND MOD TURBULENCE. THE WX RETURNS ON OUR AIRBORNE RADAR SHOWED MUCH WORSE WX, POSSIBLY SEVERE TURBULENCE, IF THE LEFT-HAND PATTERN WAS CONTINUED. ZNY WAS VERY BUSY INSTRUCTING ACFT AS THE WX FRONT WAS MORE OR LESS NOT FORECASTED. ALSO, AN ACFT HAD A STUCK MICROPHONE ABOUT THE TIME WE WERE REQUESTING A WX DEVIATION. I USED THE CAPT'S EMER AUTHORITY AS WRITTEN IN FAR 121 TO CIRCUMNAV A SEVERE METEOROLOGICAL CONDITION. NOTE: ABOUT THE SAME TIME AN LGT WAS BLOWN 50 DEG OFF THE GATE AT EWR. WIND GUSTS WERE REPORTED TO 63 KTS. A WDB WAS BLOWN INTO A FENCE AT JFK.

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.