Heading and altitude deviation due to poor communications.

Attributes
ACN	184586
Time
Date	199107
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : srp
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : phx
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : on vectors
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 : 10000
ASRS Report	184586
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Air carrier flight from las/phx. Numerous cells in the TCA area. We were on the karlo arrival at 9000 ft. We had asked for deviations to the right around cells and it was approved. They gave us a heading of 100 degree when through deviating. After we turned to that heading they told us to descend to 7000 ft, which we did, but there was another cell at 12 O'clock and 2 mi ahead. We requested a heading of 070 degree to go around this cell. Approach control said report turning back to 100 degree. After we turned and were out of 8000 ft for 9000 ft approach said climb immediately to 9000 ft and when reaching that altitude turn back to 100 degree. We did and consequently went through the cell we were trying to avoid. Fortunately the cell was not as strong as the radar depicted. Mostly rain and light turbulence. Approach control was real busy and it seemed to me they did not understand our request to turn to a 090 degree heading to go around a cell. But until they told us to climb back to 9000 ft we were unaware that they did not understand our request.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HDG AND ALT DEV DUE TO POOR COMS.

Narrative: ACR FLT FROM LAS/PHX. NUMEROUS CELLS IN THE TCA AREA. WE WERE ON THE KARLO ARR AT 9000 FT. WE HAD ASKED FOR DEVS TO THE R AROUND CELLS AND IT WAS APPROVED. THEY GAVE US A HDG OF 100 DEG WHEN THROUGH DEVIATING. AFTER WE TURNED TO THAT HEADING THEY TOLD US TO DSND TO 7000 FT, WHICH WE DID, BUT THERE WAS ANOTHER CELL AT 12 O'CLOCK AND 2 MI AHEAD. WE REQUESTED A HDG OF 070 DEG TO GAR THIS CELL. APCH CTL SAID RPT TURNING BACK TO 100 DEG. AFTER WE TURNED AND WERE OUT OF 8000 FT FOR 9000 FT APCH SAID CLB IMMEDIATELY TO 9000 FT AND WHEN REACHING THAT ALT TURN BACK TO 100 DEG. WE DID AND CONSEQUENTLY WENT THROUGH THE CELL WE WERE TRYING TO AVOID. FORTUNATELY THE CELL WAS NOT AS STRONG AS THE RADAR DEPICTED. MOSTLY RAIN AND LIGHT TURB. APCH CTL WAS REAL BUSY AND IT SEEMED TO ME THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND OUR REQUEST TO TURN TO A 090 DEG HDG TO GAR A CELL. BUT UNTIL THEY TOLD US TO CLB BACK TO 9000 FT WE WERE UNAWARE THAT THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND OUR REQUEST.

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.