Heading track deviation in a non adherence to at clearance instruction.

Attributes
ACN	246444
Time
Date	199307
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : abe
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise 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
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 2700
ASRS Report	246444
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 4100 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	246692
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : exited adverse environment other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

En route from ith to phl over avp we were cleared direct abe as filed. Turning toward abe we detected a line of severe thunderstorms extending from approximately 15 mi east of abe to the wsw an undetermined, but very far, distance. There was a break in the line to the nnw of abe that would be safe to pass through. To the east and west of the break there were severe storms and solid shadows. Between us and the break there was a small area of precipitation. I requested deviation to turn east then southeast through the break and on to phl. ZNY cleared us south and advised us to remain on or to the west of the previously cleared course to remain in his airspace. Turning south, the small area of precipitation was avoided and ny was advised we were turning 60 degrees left to the east. He advised us to remain on or south of the originally cleared route. At this point, we could see that the break was safe to pass through but had moved several mi east. We were reaching our clearance limit of the original course and requested another 5 or 6 mi on the current heading. Ny denied this request and instructed us to turn to the south. We could not comply with his instruction because of the severe thunderstorm to the south, and requested a left 180 degree turn. He denied the request and asked if we were declaring an emergency. We replied negative. He then declared an emergency. We again stated that we could not comply with his instructions and were turning left to a heading of 270. The left turn to 270 was an attempt to remain in the controller's airspace and clear of the storms. Factors contributing to this event were controller workload: very high. Miscom: the controller didn't understand what we wanted. And WX: a very fast moving line of thunderstorms. This event might have been avoided with the use of a moving map system that displays vors, waypoints, radials, and live WX returns. A graphic display would have been very useful to coordinate turns around WX while remaining within a limited airspace.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HDG TRACK DEV IN A NON ADHERENCE TO AT CLRNC INSTRUCTION.

Narrative: ENRTE FROM ITH TO PHL OVER AVP WE WERE CLRED DIRECT ABE AS FILED. TURNING TOWARD ABE WE DETECTED A LINE OF SEVERE TSTMS EXTENDING FROM APPROX 15 MI E OF ABE TO THE WSW AN UNDETERMINED, BUT VERY FAR, DISTANCE. THERE WAS A BREAK IN THE LINE TO THE NNW OF ABE THAT WOULD BE SAFE TO PASS THROUGH. TO THE E AND W OF THE BREAK THERE WERE SEVERE STORMS AND SOLID SHADOWS. BTWN US AND THE BREAK THERE WAS A SMALL AREA OF PRECIPITATION. I REQUESTED DEV TO TURN E THEN SE THROUGH THE BREAK AND ON TO PHL. ZNY CLRED US S AND ADVISED US TO REMAIN ON OR TO THE W OF THE PREVIOUSLY CLRED COURSE TO REMAIN IN HIS AIRSPACE. TURNING S, THE SMALL AREA OF PRECIPITATION WAS AVOIDED AND NY WAS ADVISED WE WERE TURNING 60 DEGS L TO THE E. HE ADVISED US TO REMAIN ON OR S OF THE ORIGINALLY CLRED RTE. AT THIS POINT, WE COULD SEE THAT THE BREAK WAS SAFE TO PASS THROUGH BUT HAD MOVED SEVERAL MI E. WE WERE REACHING OUR CLRNC LIMIT OF THE ORIGINAL COURSE AND REQUESTED ANOTHER 5 OR 6 MI ON THE CURRENT HDG. NY DENIED THIS REQUEST AND INSTRUCTED US TO TURN TO THE S. WE COULD NOT COMPLY WITH HIS INSTRUCTION BECAUSE OF THE SEVERE TSTM TO THE S, AND REQUESTED A L 180 DEG TURN. HE DENIED THE REQUEST AND ASKED IF WE WERE DECLARING AN EMER. WE REPLIED NEGATIVE. HE THEN DECLARED AN EMER. WE AGAIN STATED THAT WE COULD NOT COMPLY WITH HIS INSTRUCTIONS AND WERE TURNING L TO A HDG OF 270. THE L TURN TO 270 WAS AN ATTEMPT TO REMAIN IN THE CTLR'S AIRSPACE AND CLR OF THE STORMS. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THIS EVENT WERE CTLR WORKLOAD: VERY HIGH. MISCOM: THE CTLR DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT WE WANTED. AND WX: A VERY FAST MOVING LINE OF TSTMS. THIS EVENT MIGHT HAVE BEEN AVOIDED WITH THE USE OF A MOVING MAP SYS THAT DISPLAYS VORS, WAYPOINTS, RADIALS, AND LIVE WX RETURNS. A GRAPHIC DISPLAY WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY USEFUL TO COORDINATE TURNS AROUND WX WHILE REMAINING WITHIN A LIMITED AIRSPACE.

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.