Narrative:

As is my standard procedure, my crew and I reviewed all information concerning flight from nashville, tn, to owensboro, ky on nov/xx/94. This information included WX reports and forecasts for departure airport, en route WX, destination airport, alternate airport, convective sigmets, and aircraft MEL items. After viewing the current evansville, in, radar in the crew room with my first officer, I expressed my safety concerns to my first officer. A consensus was reached and I, as PIC, elected to defer flight for the safety and comfort of the crew and passenger under my command. The base for the reasonable exercise of captain's authority/authorized in determining the safety of a flight creates a safety risk to passenger and crew members alike. The safety and comfort of my crew and my passenger has always been, and will continue to be my first and overwhelming concern. Far 91.3 states that: the PIC of an aircraft is directly responsible for, and is the final authority/authorized as to, the operation of that aircraft. Verbal exchange was: base manager -- you have to take that flight now! Captain -- no, I do not have to take that flight now. Base manager -- you have to take that flight now or you are going to be fired for insubordination! Captain -- no, I do not have to take the flight right now. Base manager -- then you are fired! The first officer went to base manager's office and stated: I am still ready willing and able to fly the flight when the WX improves and the company provides me with suitable equipment for the safety and comfort of the crew and passenger. Base manager said 'you are too late, you are fired and I need your identification badge and your books, after I type this up,' indicating my termination papers.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT FIRED FOR DELAYING FLT DUE TO BAD PRESENT AND FORECASTED WX.

Narrative: AS IS MY STANDARD PROC, MY CREW AND I REVIEWED ALL INFO CONCERNING FLT FROM NASHVILLE, TN, TO OWENSBORO, KY ON NOV/XX/94. THIS INFO INCLUDED WX RPTS AND FORECASTS FOR DEP ARPT, ENRTE WX, DEST ARPT, ALTERNATE ARPT, CONVECTIVE SIGMETS, AND ACFT MEL ITEMS. AFTER VIEWING THE CURRENT EVANSVILLE, IN, RADAR IN THE CREW ROOM WITH MY FO, I EXPRESSED MY SAFETY CONCERNS TO MY FO. A CONSENSUS WAS REACHED AND I, AS PIC, ELECTED TO DEFER FLT FOR THE SAFETY AND COMFORT OF THE CREW AND PAX UNDER MY COMMAND. THE BASE FOR THE REASONABLE EXERCISE OF CAPT'S AUTH IN DETERMINING THE SAFETY OF A FLT CREATES A SAFETY RISK TO PAX AND CREW MEMBERS ALIKE. THE SAFETY AND COMFORT OF MY CREW AND MY PAX HAS ALWAYS BEEN, AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE MY FIRST AND OVERWHELMING CONCERN. FAR 91.3 STATES THAT: THE PIC OF AN ACFT IS DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR, AND IS THE FINAL AUTH AS TO, THE OP OF THAT ACFT. VERBAL EXCHANGE WAS: BASE MGR -- YOU HAVE TO TAKE THAT FLT NOW! CAPT -- NO, I DO NOT HAVE TO TAKE THAT FLT NOW. BASE MGR -- YOU HAVE TO TAKE THAT FLT NOW OR YOU ARE GOING TO BE FIRED FOR INSUBORDINATION! CAPT -- NO, I DO NOT HAVE TO TAKE THE FLT RIGHT NOW. BASE MGR -- THEN YOU ARE FIRED! THE FO WENT TO BASE MGR'S OFFICE AND STATED: I AM STILL READY WILLING AND ABLE TO FLY THE FLT WHEN THE WX IMPROVES AND THE COMPANY PROVIDES ME WITH SUITABLE EQUIP FOR THE SAFETY AND COMFORT OF THE CREW AND PAX. BASE MGR SAID 'YOU ARE TOO LATE, YOU ARE FIRED AND I NEED YOUR ID BADGE AND YOUR BOOKS, AFTER I TYPE THIS UP,' INDICATING MY TERMINATION PAPERS.

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.