Air carrier large transport flight crew deviates from course for WX without permission, controller m...

Attributes
ACN	154568
Time
Date	199008
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : har
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 13000 msl bound upper : 23000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 900
ASRS Report	154568
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

From northwest of jst VOR we were cleared direct jst, J152 harrisburg, mdt, FL230. 34 DME northwest of jst we were cleared direct har, which put us on the arrival 310 inbound. We were then cleared from FL230 to 13000'. We had turned about 5 degree left of a direct course to har to avoid WX (trw's) along the route. At 40 DME northwest of ahr on descent through FL190 the controller asked us where we were going in a very angry tone of voice, at which time the HSI CDI indicated about 1/2 DOT to the right of center. At 34 DME the controller gave another aircraft a turn, and made the comment that we had deviated west/O permission and on our own. When the controller made this comment we turned right direct to har. The right turn was less than 10 degree heading change. Rest of flight uneventful. It is my opinion that a heading change of less than 10 degree should not have caused a possible conflict. If a heading change of less than 10 degree were to cause a possible conflict, we either should not have been cleared direct har or should not have been cleared to descend from FL230 to 13000' with a possible conflict at FL190.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT FLT CREW DEVIATES FROM COURSE FOR WX WITHOUT PERMISSION, CTLR MOVES TO PREVENT A LOSS OF SEPARATION.

Narrative: FROM NW OF JST VOR WE WERE CLRED DIRECT JST, J152 HARRISBURG, MDT, FL230. 34 DME NW OF JST WE WERE CLRED DIRECT HAR, WHICH PUT US ON THE ARR 310 INBND. WE WERE THEN CLRED FROM FL230 TO 13000'. WE HAD TURNED ABOUT 5 DEG L OF A DIRECT COURSE TO HAR TO AVOID WX (TRW'S) ALONG THE RTE. AT 40 DME NW OF AHR ON DSNT THROUGH FL190 THE CTLR ASKED US WHERE WE WERE GOING IN A VERY ANGRY TONE OF VOICE, AT WHICH TIME THE HSI CDI INDICATED ABOUT 1/2 DOT TO THE R OF CTR. AT 34 DME THE CTLR GAVE ANOTHER ACFT A TURN, AND MADE THE COMMENT THAT WE HAD DEVIATED W/O PERMISSION AND ON OUR OWN. WHEN THE CTLR MADE THIS COMMENT WE TURNED R DIRECT TO HAR. THE R TURN WAS LESS THAN 10 DEG HDG CHANGE. REST OF FLT UNEVENTFUL. IT IS MY OPINION THAT A HDG CHANGE OF LESS THAN 10 DEG SHOULD NOT HAVE CAUSED A POSSIBLE CONFLICT. IF A HDG CHANGE OF LESS THAN 10 DEG WERE TO CAUSE A POSSIBLE CONFLICT, WE EITHER SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN CLRED DIRECT HAR OR SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN CLRED TO DSND FROM FL230 TO 13000' WITH A POSSIBLE CONFLICT AT FL190.

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.

Air carrier large transport flight crew deviates from course for WX without permission, controller moves to prevent a loss of separation.