An air carrier B757 flight crew requested an altitude change and a heading change to avoid WX. The d...

Attributes
ACN	368810
Time
Date	199705
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : aus
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 11500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : aus
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
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 : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	368810
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

While departing austin, tx, en route to san antonio, while on a 180 degree vector for WX, first officer requested 20 degrees more left to avoid further build-ups and in the same sentence requested 15000 ft MSL. Aircraft had just leveled at 10000 ft MSL. Aircraft was in moderate turbulence with lightning in the immediate vicinity. Austin approach responded with 'cleared as requested.' captain turned 20 degrees left to 160 degrees and first officer programmed the FMC to begin climb to 15000 ft. Passing approximately 11500 ft MSL austin approach queried us as to why we were not at 10000 ft MSL. I answered that we had been cleared to 15000 ft at the same time she had cleared us to turn 20 degrees left. She responded that she had missed the 15000 ft MSL portion of the request, and then cleared us to 15000 ft. During this entire portion of the flight we were encountering heavy moderate turbulence, lightning and rain. We had a few moments when we were unable to contact aus approach for further deviations. But, in reference to our request and clearance for 20 degree heading change and the altitude change, there was no apparent confusion in the cockpit as to what we requested and the subsequent clearance. Factors affecting this potential deviation was a heavy workload both in approach control and the cockpit due to heavy WX.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR B757 FLC REQUESTED AN ALT CHANGE AND A HEADING CHANGE TO AVOID WX. THE DEP CTLR CLRED THEM 'AS REQUESTED,' BUT MISSED THE ALT CHANGE REQUEST. NO CONFLICT.

Narrative: WHILE DEPARTING AUSTIN, TX, ENRTE TO SAN ANTONIO, WHILE ON A 180 DEG VECTOR FOR WX, FO REQUESTED 20 DEGS MORE L TO AVOID FURTHER BUILD-UPS AND IN THE SAME SENTENCE REQUESTED 15000 FT MSL. ACFT HAD JUST LEVELED AT 10000 FT MSL. ACFT WAS IN MODERATE TURB WITH LIGHTNING IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY. AUSTIN APCH RESPONDED WITH 'CLRED AS REQUESTED.' CAPT TURNED 20 DEGS L TO 160 DEGS AND FO PROGRAMMED THE FMC TO BEGIN CLB TO 15000 FT. PASSING APPROX 11500 FT MSL AUSTIN APCH QUERIED US AS TO WHY WE WERE NOT AT 10000 FT MSL. I ANSWERED THAT WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO 15000 FT AT THE SAME TIME SHE HAD CLRED US TO TURN 20 DEGS L. SHE RESPONDED THAT SHE HAD MISSED THE 15000 FT MSL PORTION OF THE REQUEST, AND THEN CLRED US TO 15000 FT. DURING THIS ENTIRE PORTION OF THE FLT WE WERE ENCOUNTERING HVY MODERATE TURB, LIGHTNING AND RAIN. WE HAD A FEW MOMENTS WHEN WE WERE UNABLE TO CONTACT AUS APCH FOR FURTHER DEVS. BUT, IN REF TO OUR REQUEST AND CLRNC FOR 20 DEG HDG CHANGE AND THE ALT CHANGE, THERE WAS NO APPARENT CONFUSION IN THE COCKPIT AS TO WHAT WE REQUESTED AND THE SUBSEQUENT CLRNC. FACTORS AFFECTING THIS POTENTIAL DEV WAS A HVY WORKLOAD BOTH IN APCH CTL AND THE COCKPIT DUE TO HVY WX.

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.

An air carrier B757 flight crew requested an altitude change and a heading change to avoid WX. The departure controller cleared them 'as requested,' but missed the altitude change request. No conflict.