An air carrier widebody transport crew deviated for WX without proper clearance.

Attributes
ACN	286773
Time
Date	199410
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ddp
State Reference	PR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 35000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zma artcc : zny tower : psp
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B747 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : atlantic enroute : other oceanic
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	286977
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	287044
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : exited penetrated airspace flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

Deviation around an area of thunderstorms across A-300. ATC communication was through ny high frequency radio to ny oceanic. Asked for and received clearance for deviation 20 mi left (west of course). After entering area of embedded thunderstorms, it became clear further deviation would be required (about 50 NM total). I asked the captain if I should request further deviation, he said no. Total deviation was 58 NM from course. Ny oceanic informed us that we had strayed into miami oceanic airspace and asked us how far we had deviated. The captain replied 30 mi. I didn't insist on contact with ATC after exceeding 20 NM deviation for the following reason: workload was high in the cockpit circumnaving cells. High frequency communication is slow and difficult (if not impossible) when flying in clouds. Examination of the chart showed no conflict with other airways. High frequency communication through a third party is an outdated, slow and tedious method of communication with ATC when deviating around WX. When faced with a choice of exceeding a deviation clearance or flying through a thunderstorm, most pilots will avoid the WX. Implementation of GPS and satellite communications (ie, real time) with ATC on overwater rtes will help these sits in the future. Also, the WX radar in our aircraft was older. Newer digital equipment could more easily find a safe route.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR WDB CREW DEVIATED FOR WX WITHOUT PROPER CLRNC.

Narrative: DEV AROUND AN AREA OF TSTMS ACROSS A-300. ATC COM WAS THROUGH NY HIGH FREQ RADIO TO NY OCEANIC. ASKED FOR AND RECEIVED CLRNC FOR DEV 20 MI L (W OF COURSE). AFTER ENTERING AREA OF EMBEDDED TSTMS, IT BECAME CLR FURTHER DEV WOULD BE REQUIRED (ABOUT 50 NM TOTAL). I ASKED THE CAPT IF I SHOULD REQUEST FURTHER DEV, HE SAID NO. TOTAL DEV WAS 58 NM FROM COURSE. NY OCEANIC INFORMED US THAT WE HAD STRAYED INTO MIAMI OCEANIC AIRSPACE AND ASKED US HOW FAR WE HAD DEVIATED. THE CAPT REPLIED 30 MI. I DIDN'T INSIST ON CONTACT WITH ATC AFTER EXCEEDING 20 NM DEV FOR THE FOLLOWING REASON: WORKLOAD WAS HIGH IN THE COCKPIT CIRCUMNAVING CELLS. HIGH FREQ COM IS SLOW AND DIFFICULT (IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE) WHEN FLYING IN CLOUDS. EXAMINATION OF THE CHART SHOWED NO CONFLICT WITH OTHER AIRWAYS. HIGH FREQ COM THROUGH A THIRD PARTY IS AN OUTDATED, SLOW AND TEDIOUS METHOD OF COM WITH ATC WHEN DEVIATING AROUND WX. WHEN FACED WITH A CHOICE OF EXCEEDING A DEV CLRNC OR FLYING THROUGH A TSTM, MOST PLTS WILL AVOID THE WX. IMPLEMENTATION OF GPS AND SATELLITE COMS (IE, REAL TIME) WITH ATC ON OVERWATER RTES WILL HELP THESE SITS IN THE FUTURE. ALSO, THE WX RADAR IN OUR ACFT WAS OLDER. NEWER DIGITAL EQUIP COULD MORE EASILY FIND A SAFE RTE.

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.