Narrative:

Location: near mem VOR. While flying direct to bkw at FL330, we were approaching mem where a line of thunderstorms extended both north and south of mem. At about 30-40 NM from the WX, I decided to deviation from course to the south, turning from a heading of 070 degrees to about 110 degrees. As we were turning through a heading of 100 degrees and while the copilot was trying to get a word in with the busy ATC controller, we received a RA calling for a climb. I immediately complied with the RA instructions climbing to FL337 before clear of conflict. The controller then told us to turn to a 360 degree heading. We never had visual contact with the other aircraft and do not know exactly his relative position to us as we were in the WX radar mode.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR B727 PIC ELECTS TO TURN OFF COURSE TO AVOID TSTMS PRIOR TO GETTING APPROVAL FROM ATC. THEY ENCOUNTER A TCASII RA AND HAVE TO CLB OUT OF THEIR ASSIGNED ALT. RPTR CITES FREQ CONGESTION AS SUPPORTING CAUSE.

Narrative: LOCATION: NEAR MEM VOR. WHILE FLYING DIRECT TO BKW AT FL330, WE WERE APCHING MEM WHERE A LINE OF TSTMS EXTENDED BOTH N AND S OF MEM. AT ABOUT 30-40 NM FROM THE WX, I DECIDED TO DEV FROM COURSE TO THE S, TURNING FROM A HDG OF 070 DEGS TO ABOUT 110 DEGS. AS WE WERE TURNING THROUGH A HDG OF 100 DEGS AND WHILE THE COPLT WAS TRYING TO GET A WORD IN WITH THE BUSY ATC CTLR, WE RECEIVED A RA CALLING FOR A CLB. I IMMEDIATELY COMPLIED WITH THE RA INSTRUCTIONS CLBING TO FL337 BEFORE CLR OF CONFLICT. THE CTLR THEN TOLD US TO TURN TO A 360 DEG HDG. WE NEVER HAD VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE OTHER ACFT AND DO NOT KNOW EXACTLY HIS RELATIVE POS TO US AS WE WERE IN THE WX RADAR MODE.

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.