Commuter small transport flight crew failed to climb as cleared while avoiding thunderstorm activity...

Attributes
ACN	141048
Time
Date	199003
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bhl
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : j6
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 2400 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	141048
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Departed on scheduled air carrier flight from bhc to phx. WX was 3000' broken, 15 mi visibility. Contacted los angeles center. Transmission was weak. Cleared as filed climb and maintain 11000'. At that time we idented a large thunderstorm both visually and with WX radar. We requested to maintain VMC below to cloud deck and deviate south around the storm. Cleared to deviate as necessary however ATC did not copy our request to remain VMC at 3000' MSL. We then experienced lost communication due to our low altitude. Another air carrier relayed our intentions to ATC. Approximately 5 mins later we were clear of the storm and began to climb to 11000' in VMC. We were able to reestablish radio contact and establish radar contact well prior to entering IMC. We explained the situation but were chastised by ATC for not climbing immediately. The flight continued to phx west/O further incident. In my opinion a climb into IMC would not have allowed safe navigation around the storm and terrain sep off the arwy would not be assured. The primary factor of this incident was poor communication and radar coverage in the area.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER SMT FLT CREW FAILED TO CLIMB AS CLEARED WHILE AVOIDING TSTM ACTIVITY.

Narrative: DEPARTED ON SCHEDULED AIR CARRIER FLT FROM BHC TO PHX. WX WAS 3000' BKN, 15 MI VIS. CONTACTED LOS ANGELES CENTER. XMISSION WAS WEAK. CLRED AS FILED CLB AND MAINTAIN 11000'. AT THAT TIME WE IDENTED A LARGE TSTM BOTH VISUALLY AND WITH WX RADAR. WE REQUESTED TO MAINTAIN VMC BELOW TO CLOUD DECK AND DEVIATE S AROUND THE STORM. CLRED TO DEVIATE AS NECESSARY HOWEVER ATC DID NOT COPY OUR REQUEST TO REMAIN VMC AT 3000' MSL. WE THEN EXPERIENCED LOST COM DUE TO OUR LOW ALT. ANOTHER AIR CARRIER RELAYED OUR INTENTIONS TO ATC. APPROX 5 MINS LATER WE WERE CLR OF THE STORM AND BEGAN TO CLB TO 11000' IN VMC. WE WERE ABLE TO REESTABLISH RADIO CONTACT AND ESTABLISH RADAR CONTACT WELL PRIOR TO ENTERING IMC. WE EXPLAINED THE SITUATION BUT WERE CHASTISED BY ATC FOR NOT CLBING IMMEDIATELY. THE FLT CONTINUED TO PHX W/O FURTHER INCIDENT. IN MY OPINION A CLB INTO IMC WOULD NOT HAVE ALLOWED SAFE NAV AROUND THE STORM AND TERRAIN SEP OFF THE ARWY WOULD NOT BE ASSURED. THE PRIMARY FACTOR OF THIS INCIDENT WAS POOR COM AND RADAR COVERAGE IN THE AREA.

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