Narrative:

Flight was filed and planned to cruise at FL330. Initially cleared (en route) to climb to maintain FL290. Upper level WX, in the form of cloud formations that had appearance of containing turbulence, existed in the area of tys. It appeared that FL330 would provide clearance of clouds and turbulence. Climb clearance to FL330 was requested and received from atl center at 30 NM south tys, and climb out of FL290 to FL330 initiated. Aircraft had drifted slightly right (east) of course approaching tys due to autoplt not properly tracking course. We did not pick up drift initially due to our attention being focused outside on previously mentioned clouds. I estimate we drifted 2-3 NM east of course before taking corrective action. While still south of tys VOR it became apparent that FL330 would not clear area of suspected turbulence, so while climbing through FL32.7 center was advised that we wanted a west deviation (west of tys). Center requested to know if we were deviating east. We stated we wanted a west deviation, and atl center responded with a reply for us to descend to FL310, followed shortly afterward by instructions to expedite descent (in an excited sounding voice). We complied and checking our TCASII showed an aircraft in our 6 O'clock position, approximately 5 mi at FL330. According to our navigation instruments, we were not precisely on course, but appeared to be well within tolerances. Certainly we'll exercise more diligent attention to navigation aids in future and hopefully ATC will return from placing 2 or more aircraft in a position creating conflict, or the potential for conflict.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT TRACK DEV DURING CLB S OF TYS.

Narrative: FLT WAS FILED AND PLANNED TO CRUISE AT FL330. INITIALLY CLRED (ENRTE) TO CLB TO MAINTAIN FL290. UPPER LEVEL WX, IN THE FORM OF CLOUD FORMATIONS THAT HAD APPEARANCE OF CONTAINING TURB, EXISTED IN THE AREA OF TYS. IT APPEARED THAT FL330 WOULD PROVIDE CLRNC OF CLOUDS AND TURB. CLB CLRNC TO FL330 WAS REQUESTED AND RECEIVED FROM ATL CENTER AT 30 NM S TYS, AND CLB OUT OF FL290 TO FL330 INITIATED. ACFT HAD DRIFTED SLIGHTLY R (E) OF COURSE APCHING TYS DUE TO AUTOPLT NOT PROPERLY TRACKING COURSE. WE DID NOT PICK UP DRIFT INITIALLY DUE TO OUR ATTN BEING FOCUSED OUTSIDE ON PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED CLOUDS. I ESTIMATE WE DRIFTED 2-3 NM E OF COURSE BEFORE TAKING CORRECTIVE ACTION. WHILE STILL S OF TYS VOR IT BECAME APPARENT THAT FL330 WOULD NOT CLR AREA OF SUSPECTED TURB, SO WHILE CLBING THROUGH FL32.7 CENTER WAS ADVISED THAT WE WANTED A W DEV (W OF TYS). CENTER REQUESTED TO KNOW IF WE WERE DEVIATING E. WE STATED WE WANTED A W DEV, AND ATL CENTER RESPONDED WITH A REPLY FOR US TO DSND TO FL310, FOLLOWED SHORTLY AFTERWARD BY INSTRUCTIONS TO EXPEDITE DSCNT (IN AN EXCITED SOUNDING VOICE). WE COMPLIED AND CHKING OUR TCASII SHOWED AN ACFT IN OUR 6 O'CLOCK POS, APPROX 5 MI AT FL330. ACCORDING TO OUR NAV INSTS, WE WERE NOT PRECISELY ON COURSE, BUT APPEARED TO BE WELL WITHIN TOLERANCES. CERTAINLY WE'LL EXERCISE MORE DILIGENT ATTN TO NAV AIDS IN FUTURE AND HOPEFULLY ATC WILL RETURN FROM PLACING 2 OR MORE ACFT IN A POS CREATING CONFLICT, OR THE POTENTIAL FOR CONFLICT.

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.