ATC declares emergency for flight crew to extricate them from the level 4 and 5 thunderstorms.

Attributes
ACN	317422
Time
Date	199509
Day	Fri
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mci
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 15000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mci
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time total : 10000
ASRS Report	317422
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

On departure climbing to 15000 ft, departure #1 handed us off to departure frequency #2. We were in a right turn avoiding level 4/5 thunderstorms and after 5 or 6 calls to ATC, were unable to contact departure #2. We could hear him working other frequencys and had requested an immediate climb, but he never confirmed our calls. We returned to the first departure frequency #1 and requested a climb for WX again, explaining that we were in moderate turbulence medium/heavy rain trying to avoid WX. The first controller (departure #1) returned us to the second frequency. After another call I took over communications and told the controller the conditions again and that I wanted an immediate climb. The second controller (departure #2) declared an emergency and climbed us to FL230 with a left turn. We cleared all cells and WX at that flight level and proceeded to ord. After arriving at ord, I contacted the duty supervisor at mci. He said the controller was working 6 frequencys that morning (night), and panicked. I concurred and suggested to the supervisor that they not load up the controllers or at least during WX they better staff the system so not to saturate one person or persons. We agreed and the controller acted according to what he believed was appropriate at the time to insure the safety of the environment.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC DECLARES EMER FOR FLC TO EXTRICATE THEM FROM THE LEVEL 4 AND 5 TSTMS.

Narrative: ON DEP CLBING TO 15000 FT, DEP #1 HANDED US OFF TO DEP FREQ #2. WE WERE IN A R TURN AVOIDING LEVEL 4/5 TSTMS AND AFTER 5 OR 6 CALLS TO ATC, WERE UNABLE TO CONTACT DEP #2. WE COULD HEAR HIM WORKING OTHER FREQS AND HAD REQUESTED AN IMMEDIATE CLB, BUT HE NEVER CONFIRMED OUR CALLS. WE RETURNED TO THE FIRST DEP FREQ #1 AND REQUESTED A CLB FOR WX AGAIN, EXPLAINING THAT WE WERE IN MODERATE TURB MEDIUM/HVY RAIN TRYING TO AVOID WX. THE FIRST CTLR (DEP #1) RETURNED US TO THE SECOND FREQ. AFTER ANOTHER CALL I TOOK OVER COMS AND TOLD THE CTLR THE CONDITIONS AGAIN AND THAT I WANTED AN IMMEDIATE CLB. THE SECOND CTLR (DEP #2) DECLARED AN EMER AND CLBED US TO FL230 WITH A L TURN. WE CLRED ALL CELLS AND WX AT THAT FLT LEVEL AND PROCEEDED TO ORD. AFTER ARRIVING AT ORD, I CONTACTED THE DUTY SUPVR AT MCI. HE SAID THE CTLR WAS WORKING 6 FREQS THAT MORNING (NIGHT), AND PANICKED. I CONCURRED AND SUGGESTED TO THE SUPVR THAT THEY NOT LOAD UP THE CTLRS OR AT LEAST DURING WX THEY BETTER STAFF THE SYS SO NOT TO SATURATE ONE PERSON OR PERSONS. WE AGREED AND THE CTLR ACTED ACCORDING TO WHAT HE BELIEVED WAS APPROPRIATE AT THE TIME TO INSURE THE SAFETY OF THE ENVIRONMENT.

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.