Narrative:

On initial contact with iad departure we were assigned a heading to fly to avoid buildups in the area. Iad departure asked us if a heading to intercept J-149 was acceptable due to WX, we replied yes. After initial rollout on the turn, the WX radar was painting a small cell right on the airway. We began a slight deviation north of course and encountered some moderate chop in the climb while IMC. The captain was on the radio and quickly diverted his attention to seat the flight attendants due to the rough ride we were now encountering. As the cockpit workload increased, we also engaged engine anti-ice and, as we were about to call departure to advise of the deviation, we were asked as to our current heading. We advised him that we were already back in the turn to intercept and were almost established on course. The controller questioned why we did not advise him and we advised him that the cockpit workload was very high for those few mins. We were asked to call when on the ground in sfo and the captain said he would. As a result of the turn, a commuter aircraft had made mention of a TA while in the descent and dulles advised him that he had made a note of it and that it was caused by a departing 757 heavy. Supplemental information from acn 273592: the copilot flew through the airway to avoid the WX. We deviated no more than 1.5 NM north of the airway centerline. The controller was upset that he had not been notified of our diversion. Controller now notified me to phone the washington approach upon arrival in sfo. I spoke with supervisor who informed me that our WX avoidance had caused a few anxious moments. He informed me no action would be taken.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNCOORDINATED WX DEV.

Narrative: ON INITIAL CONTACT WITH IAD DEP WE WERE ASSIGNED A HDG TO FLY TO AVOID BUILDUPS IN THE AREA. IAD DEP ASKED US IF A HDG TO INTERCEPT J-149 WAS ACCEPTABLE DUE TO WX, WE REPLIED YES. AFTER INITIAL ROLLOUT ON THE TURN, THE WX RADAR WAS PAINTING A SMALL CELL RIGHT ON THE AIRWAY. WE BEGAN A SLIGHT DEV N OF COURSE AND ENCOUNTERED SOME MODERATE CHOP IN THE CLB WHILE IMC. THE CAPT WAS ON THE RADIO AND QUICKLY DIVERTED HIS ATTN TO SEAT THE FLT ATTENDANTS DUE TO THE ROUGH RIDE WE WERE NOW ENCOUNTERING. AS THE COCKPIT WORKLOAD INCREASED, WE ALSO ENGAGED ENG ANTI-ICE AND, AS WE WERE ABOUT TO CALL DEP TO ADVISE OF THE DEV, WE WERE ASKED AS TO OUR CURRENT HDG. WE ADVISED HIM THAT WE WERE ALREADY BACK IN THE TURN TO INTERCEPT AND WERE ALMOST ESTABLISHED ON COURSE. THE CTLR QUESTIONED WHY WE DID NOT ADVISE HIM AND WE ADVISED HIM THAT THE COCKPIT WORKLOAD WAS VERY HIGH FOR THOSE FEW MINS. WE WERE ASKED TO CALL WHEN ON THE GND IN SFO AND THE CAPT SAID HE WOULD. AS A RESULT OF THE TURN, A COMMUTER ACFT HAD MADE MENTION OF A TA WHILE IN THE DSCNT AND DULLES ADVISED HIM THAT HE HAD MADE A NOTE OF IT AND THAT IT WAS CAUSED BY A DEPARTING 757 HVY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 273592: THE COPLT FLEW THROUGH THE AIRWAY TO AVOID THE WX. WE DEVIATED NO MORE THAN 1.5 NM N OF THE AIRWAY CTRLINE. THE CTLR WAS UPSET THAT HE HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF OUR DIVERSION. CTLR NOW NOTIFIED ME TO PHONE THE WASHINGTON APCH UPON ARR IN SFO. I SPOKE WITH SUPVR WHO INFORMED ME THAT OUR WX AVOIDANCE HAD CAUSED A FEW ANXIOUS MOMENTS. HE INFORMED ME NO ACTION WOULD BE TAKEN.

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.