Flight crew declares an emergency to turn out of turbulence.

Attributes
ACN	286789
Time
Date	199410
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : eld
State Reference	AR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 29000 msl bound upper : 29000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw artcc : zau
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	286789
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
ASRS Report	286585
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After departing dfw on the dallis 9 departure, we were held down by ATC and had stairstep climb clrncs. I had requested higher altitude clrncs many times due to light chop. At FL280 we again requested higher and received FL290. We started to get moderate chop and requested to deviation left of course. ATC did not answer and the chop turned to light to moderate turbulence. I deviated left and continued to call ATC 4 more times. They would not answer me, yet continued to talk to other aircraft. I used my emergency authority/authorized to deviate from my assigned clearance for passenger crew safety due to moderate turbulence. We were shortly able to turn back on course. Time approximately XA25Z approximately 70 mi west of eld VOR. ATC finally acknowledged my calls and cleared us to sqs VOR, flight plan route. The remainder of the flight was normal.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC DECLARES AN EMER TO TURN OUT OF TURB.

Narrative: AFTER DEPARTING DFW ON THE DALLIS 9 DEP, WE WERE HELD DOWN BY ATC AND HAD STAIRSTEP CLB CLRNCS. I HAD REQUESTED HIGHER ALT CLRNCS MANY TIMES DUE TO LIGHT CHOP. AT FL280 WE AGAIN REQUESTED HIGHER AND RECEIVED FL290. WE STARTED TO GET MODERATE CHOP AND REQUESTED TO DEV L OF COURSE. ATC DID NOT ANSWER AND THE CHOP TURNED TO LIGHT TO MODERATE TURB. I DEVIATED L AND CONTINUED TO CALL ATC 4 MORE TIMES. THEY WOULD NOT ANSWER ME, YET CONTINUED TO TALK TO OTHER ACFT. I USED MY EMER AUTH TO DEVIATE FROM MY ASSIGNED CLRNC FOR PAX CREW SAFETY DUE TO MODERATE TURB. WE WERE SHORTLY ABLE TO TURN BACK ON COURSE. TIME APPROX XA25Z APPROX 70 MI W OF ELD VOR. ATC FINALLY ACKNOWLEDGED MY CALLS AND CLRED US TO SQS VOR, FLT PLAN RTE. THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WAS NORMAL.

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.