Emergency declared by air carrier flight crew in WX avoidance maneuver around thunderstorm activity.

Attributes
ACN	242713
Time
Date	199305
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rdu
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : rdu
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	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 : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	242713
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 190 flight time total : 4100 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	242720
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were en route to rdu and numerous thunderstorms were present along the route. We observed WX building rapidly between our position and the rdu airport. There was a well defined hole in the WX and other aircraft ahead were getting through. The WX intensified very rapidly and the hole closed in as we were about 5 mi from it. I notified ATC that we would need an immediate turn but were told to 'standby.' after a few moments we asked again and we were told that we need to coordinate with another facility. We waited a little longer but flight into severe WX was becoming imminent. I felt we were in danger so I declared an emergency and made an immediate turn 90 degrees to the right as this was our only route of escape. We cleared the WX area in about 2 mins and cancelled the emergency.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMER DECLARED BY ACR FLC IN WX AVOIDANCE MANEUVER AROUND TSTM ACTIVITY.

Narrative: WE WERE ENRTE TO RDU AND NUMEROUS TSTMS WERE PRESENT ALONG THE RTE. WE OBSERVED WX BUILDING RAPIDLY BTWN OUR POS AND THE RDU ARPT. THERE WAS A WELL DEFINED HOLE IN THE WX AND OTHER ACFT AHEAD WERE GETTING THROUGH. THE WX INTENSIFIED VERY RAPIDLY AND THE HOLE CLOSED IN AS WE WERE ABOUT 5 MI FROM IT. I NOTIFIED ATC THAT WE WOULD NEED AN IMMEDIATE TURN BUT WERE TOLD TO 'STANDBY.' AFTER A FEW MOMENTS WE ASKED AGAIN AND WE WERE TOLD THAT WE NEED TO COORDINATE WITH ANOTHER FACILITY. WE WAITED A LITTLE LONGER BUT FLT INTO SEVERE WX WAS BECOMING IMMINENT. I FELT WE WERE IN DANGER SO I DECLARED AN EMER AND MADE AN IMMEDIATE TURN 90 DEGS TO THE R AS THIS WAS OUR ONLY RTE OF ESCAPE. WE CLRED THE WX AREA IN ABOUT 2 MINS AND CANCELLED THE EMER.

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.