Track deviation for heavy WX.

Attributes
ACN	296669
Time
Date	199502
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : hnl
State Reference	HI
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : pacific enroute : other oceanic
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 7000
ASRS Report	296669
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	296665
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

In cruise flight, about 2 hours out of hnl, the WX system ahead of us did not look very ominous until we got very close. Our radar now started painting hazardous cells. It appeared that we could deviate slightly and avoid the worst of it. However, as can happen, when we rounded the corner, cells that were 'masked' before became evident and further deviation was required. Because of our outdated oceanic ATC system, obtaining a deviation clearance to avoid the hazardous WX was impossible. Additionally, it is difficult at times to define the extent of the deviation required given the amount of lead time required from HF oceanic control. It is incredible, as well as a compromise in safety, that we are still living with 'smoke signal' oceanic control given today's satellite technologies. Supplemental information from acn 296665: we were forced to deviate without clearance due to the time lag communicating on HF through commercial radio to center.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TRACK DEV FOR HVY WX.

Narrative: IN CRUISE FLT, ABOUT 2 HRS OUT OF HNL, THE WX SYS AHEAD OF US DID NOT LOOK VERY OMINOUS UNTIL WE GOT VERY CLOSE. OUR RADAR NOW STARTED PAINTING HAZARDOUS CELLS. IT APPEARED THAT WE COULD DEVIATE SLIGHTLY AND AVOID THE WORST OF IT. HOWEVER, AS CAN HAPPEN, WHEN WE ROUNDED THE CORNER, CELLS THAT WERE 'MASKED' BEFORE BECAME EVIDENT AND FURTHER DEV WAS REQUIRED. BECAUSE OF OUR OUTDATED OCEANIC ATC SYS, OBTAINING A DEV CLRNC TO AVOID THE HAZARDOUS WX WAS IMPOSSIBLE. ADDITIONALLY, IT IS DIFFICULT AT TIMES TO DEFINE THE EXTENT OF THE DEV REQUIRED GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF LEAD TIME REQUIRED FROM HF OCEANIC CTL. IT IS INCREDIBLE, AS WELL AS A COMPROMISE IN SAFETY, THAT WE ARE STILL LIVING WITH 'SMOKE SIGNAL' OCEANIC CTL GIVEN TODAY'S SATELLITE TECHNOLOGIES. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 296665: WE WERE FORCED TO DEVIATE WITHOUT CLRNC DUE TO THE TIME LAG COMMUNICATING ON HF THROUGH COMMERCIAL RADIO TO CTR.

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.