An air carrier medium large transport made a deviation around WX without ATC notification.

Attributes
ACN	211068
Time
Date	199205
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : den
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdv
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 6200
ASRS Report	211068
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While serving as a first officer on flight X sfo to ind, the captain elected to deviate south of course without obtaining center clearance. This deviation was not initiated due to wet radome attenuation as a result of IMC conditions; rather was accomplished with the cell clearly visible 75 NM away. In spite of my request to obtain center clearance to deviate south of course the captain adamantly insisted we deviate without clearance. This deviation was disquieting in light of the high volume of traffic deviating in this particular sector. This particular captain was nearing retirement age, and unfortunately like many other 'senior' capts, possessed an antagonistic attitude towards ATC. My only 2 suggestions are: mandate that all deviations from ATC be resolved immediately ie, if ATC is saturated and no emergency has occurred a phone call should be demanded from the PIC. If traffic saturation is not an issue, supervisory personnel should forewarn PIC and further action may include assigning a point system to ATC and far deviations where by accumulation of X point required automatic suspension of ATP. Secondly, many older capts that I have flown with seem to operate with virtual impunity within our airline. In regard to ATC procedures checklists etc, a broader and more far reaching safety board should be established within our carrier whereby issues of this nature could be tabulated and disciplinary action taken if the abuses continue.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MLG MADE A DEV AROUND WX WITHOUT ATC NOTIFICATION.

Narrative: WHILE SERVING AS A FO ON FLT X SFO TO IND, THE CAPT ELECTED TO DEVIATE S OF COURSE WITHOUT OBTAINING CTR CLRNC. THIS DEV WAS NOT INITIATED DUE TO WET RADOME ATTENUATION AS A RESULT OF IMC CONDITIONS; RATHER WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITH THE CELL CLRLY VISIBLE 75 NM AWAY. IN SPITE OF MY REQUEST TO OBTAIN CTR CLRNC TO DEVIATE S OF COURSE THE CAPT ADAMANTLY INSISTED WE DEVIATE WITHOUT CLRNC. THIS DEV WAS DISQUIETING IN LIGHT OF THE HIGH VOLUME OF TFC DEVIATING IN THIS PARTICULAR SECTOR. THIS PARTICULAR CAPT WAS NEARING RETIREMENT AGE, AND UNFORTUNATELY LIKE MANY OTHER 'SENIOR' CAPTS, POSSESSED AN ANTAGONISTIC ATTITUDE TOWARDS ATC. MY ONLY 2 SUGGESTIONS ARE: MANDATE THAT ALL DEVS FROM ATC BE RESOLVED IMMEDIATELY IE, IF ATC IS SATURATED AND NO EMER HAS OCCURRED A PHONE CALL SHOULD BE DEMANDED FROM THE PIC. IF TFC SATURATION IS NOT AN ISSUE, SUPERVISORY PERSONNEL SHOULD FOREWARN PIC AND FURTHER ACTION MAY INCLUDE ASSIGNING A POINT SYS TO ATC AND FAR DEVS WHERE BY ACCUMULATION OF X POINT REQUIRED AUTOMATIC SUSPENSION OF ATP. SECONDLY, MANY OLDER CAPTS THAT I HAVE FLOWN WITH SEEM TO OPERATE WITH VIRTUAL IMPUNITY WITHIN OUR AIRLINE. IN REGARD TO ATC PROCS CHKLISTS ETC, A BROADER AND MORE FAR REACHING SAFETY BOARD SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED WITHIN OUR CARRIER WHEREBY ISSUES OF THIS NATURE COULD BE TABULATED AND DISCIPLINARY ACTION TAKEN IF THE ABUSES CONTINUE.

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.