A widebody transport air carrier was forced to declare an emergency and penetrate a restricted area ...

Attributes
ACN	216841
Time
Date	199207
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : tus
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab artcc : ttzp
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time total : 8450 flight time type : 275
ASRS Report	216841
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
ASRS Report	216535
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

En route to dfw from lax, in the vicinity of gila bend. Clearance to deviate south of course to avoid cumulus activity was received. Approximately 35 wnw of tucson, center asked us to turn left of our desired track. We complied, but told them we couldn't maintain that heading for long due to cumulus clouds. Being aware of restr area 2303B and its noted closing time of PM00Z, and ZAB is controling authority, we expected clearance through it. As we reached an 'in extremis' situation, we told center that we had to come south to avoid dangerous WX. They told us they couldn't clear us through R2303B and if we needed to go that direction, squawk 7700. Since other deviation options had long since passed, that is what we did. Arcing south of tucson about 26 NM and probably entering the restr area. I feel ATC support completely broke down, as they had been aware of our need to deviate since just past gila bend. Allowing us to proceed in that direction putting us in the proverbial box canyon, then washing their hands of the whole matter.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A WDB ACR WAS FORCED TO DECLARE AN EMER AND PENETRATE A RESTRICTED AREA TO AVOID WX.

Narrative: ENRTE TO DFW FROM LAX, IN THE VICINITY OF GILA BEND. CLRNC TO DEVIATE S OF COURSE TO AVOID CUMULUS ACTIVITY WAS RECEIVED. APPROX 35 WNW OF TUCSON, CTR ASKED US TO TURN L OF OUR DESIRED TRACK. WE COMPLIED, BUT TOLD THEM WE COULDN'T MAINTAIN THAT HDG FOR LONG DUE TO CUMULUS CLOUDS. BEING AWARE OF RESTR AREA 2303B AND ITS NOTED CLOSING TIME OF PM00Z, AND ZAB IS CTLING AUTHORITY, WE EXPECTED CLRNC THROUGH IT. AS WE REACHED AN 'IN EXTREMIS' SITUATION, WE TOLD CTR THAT WE HAD TO COME S TO AVOID DANGEROUS WX. THEY TOLD US THEY COULDN'T CLR US THROUGH R2303B AND IF WE NEEDED TO GO THAT DIRECTION, SQUAWK 7700. SINCE OTHER DEV OPTIONS HAD LONG SINCE PASSED, THAT IS WHAT WE DID. ARCING S OF TUCSON ABOUT 26 NM AND PROBABLY ENTERING THE RESTR AREA. I FEEL ATC SUPPORT COMPLETELY BROKE DOWN, AS THEY HAD BEEN AWARE OF OUR NEED TO DEVIATE SINCE JUST PAST GILA BEND. ALLOWING US TO PROCEED IN THAT DIRECTION PUTTING US IN THE PROVERBIAL BOX CANYON, THEN WASHING THEIR HANDS OF THE WHOLE MATTER.

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.

A widebody transport air carrier was forced to declare an emergency and penetrate a restricted area to avoid WX.