Air carrier medium large transport track heading deviation during approach to ord in turbulent WX.

Attributes
ACN	160121
Time
Date	199010
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ord
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 280
ASRS Report	160121
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

WX deteriorated rapidly. Radar in medium large transport slowed level 3 or greater storms throughout approach path. ATC attempted to steer us through major cells several times. Asked for and did not receive alternate clrncs. Finally did fly through storm. As we did, ATC advised previous traffic had only heavy rain. He should have told us sooner--if he had, we would have flown through WX area. Controller appeared to have no concern for flight conditions, or safety of aircraft and occupants. Situation deteriorated very rapidly. Controller claimed that we were on heading to conflict with other aircraft. This may have been true. There were too many aircraft in 1 place. The controller was talking so fast that no one could tell him what was happening to us. If it had been severe WX, someone would have gotten hurt that day. As it was, it was a mess. Solution: controllers should listen to pilot reports. Aircraft radar should differentiate between levels 3, 4, 5, 6 returns (they do not!!), and how about a little more advance planning at ord? Departures, arrs should have been shut down.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG TRACK HEADING DEVIATION DURING APCH TO ORD IN TURBULENT WX.

Narrative: WX DETERIORATED RAPIDLY. RADAR IN MLG SLOWED LEVEL 3 OR GREATER STORMS THROUGHOUT APCH PATH. ATC ATTEMPTED TO STEER US THROUGH MAJOR CELLS SEVERAL TIMES. ASKED FOR AND DID NOT RECEIVE ALTERNATE CLRNCS. FINALLY DID FLY THROUGH STORM. AS WE DID, ATC ADVISED PREVIOUS TFC HAD ONLY HVY RAIN. HE SHOULD HAVE TOLD US SOONER--IF HE HAD, WE WOULD HAVE FLOWN THROUGH WX AREA. CTLR APPEARED TO HAVE NO CONCERN FOR FLT CONDITIONS, OR SAFETY OF ACFT AND OCCUPANTS. SITUATION DETERIORATED VERY RAPIDLY. CTLR CLAIMED THAT WE WERE ON HDG TO CONFLICT WITH OTHER ACFT. THIS MAY HAVE BEEN TRUE. THERE WERE TOO MANY ACFT IN 1 PLACE. THE CTLR WAS TALKING SO FAST THAT NO ONE COULD TELL HIM WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO US. IF IT HAD BEEN SEVERE WX, SOMEONE WOULD HAVE GOTTEN HURT THAT DAY. AS IT WAS, IT WAS A MESS. SOLUTION: CTLRS SHOULD LISTEN TO PLT RPTS. ACFT RADAR SHOULD DIFFERENTIATE BTWN LEVELS 3, 4, 5, 6 RETURNS (THEY DO NOT!!), AND HOW ABOUT A LITTLE MORE ADVANCE PLANNING AT ORD? DEPS, ARRS SHOULD HAVE BEEN SHUT DOWN.

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.