Flight crew of A320 has WX below minimums at destination and diverts to final destination instead of...

Attributes
ACN	391505
Time
Date	199801
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : myr
State Reference	SC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 35000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zjx
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	391505
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was PIC on an airbus A320 en route from newark airport to myrtle beach, sc. WX was solid IMC and scattered thunderstorms. My alternate for myrtle beach was raleigh durham, nc. As we got closer to myrtle beach WX there dropped to 1/4 mi visibility and 100 ft ceiling. I contacted myrtle beach operations and advised them I would be diverting to st petersburg, fl, since that was our final destination. They advised me this was a good idea and told me that my flight operations were being advised of this deviation. I calculated fuel and WX conditions and proceeded to st petersburg without mishap. After landing I called dispatch and they advised me that they had no idea where we were and almost declared the aircraft as missing. The FAA happened to be at dispatch operations this day and observed the whole mishap. My personal physical condition at the time was poor. I was suffering from the flu and was very fatigued. My mistake in all this was I did not call dispatch on commercial radio and notify them of our deviation. I don't know if any action will be taken against me but I figured I should send this NASA form in.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A320 HAS WX BELOW MINIMUMS AT DEST AND DIVERTS TO FINAL DEST INSTEAD OF FLT PLANNED ALTERNATE. DISPATCH DOES NOT KNOW WHERE THEY ARE.

Narrative: I WAS PIC ON AN AIRBUS A320 ENRTE FROM NEWARK ARPT TO MYRTLE BEACH, SC. WX WAS SOLID IMC AND SCATTERED TSTMS. MY ALTERNATE FOR MYRTLE BEACH WAS RALEIGH DURHAM, NC. AS WE GOT CLOSER TO MYRTLE BEACH WX THERE DROPPED TO 1/4 MI VISIBILITY AND 100 FT CEILING. I CONTACTED MYRTLE BEACH OPS AND ADVISED THEM I WOULD BE DIVERTING TO ST PETERSBURG, FL, SINCE THAT WAS OUR FINAL DEST. THEY ADVISED ME THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA AND TOLD ME THAT MY FLT OPS WERE BEING ADVISED OF THIS DEV. I CALCULATED FUEL AND WX CONDITIONS AND PROCEEDED TO ST PETERSBURG WITHOUT MISHAP. AFTER LNDG I CALLED DISPATCH AND THEY ADVISED ME THAT THEY HAD NO IDEA WHERE WE WERE AND ALMOST DECLARED THE ACFT AS MISSING. THE FAA HAPPENED TO BE AT DISPATCH OPS THIS DAY AND OBSERVED THE WHOLE MISHAP. MY PERSONAL PHYSICAL CONDITION AT THE TIME WAS POOR. I WAS SUFFERING FROM THE FLU AND WAS VERY FATIGUED. MY MISTAKE IN ALL THIS WAS I DID NOT CALL DISPATCH ON COMMERCIAL RADIO AND NOTIFY THEM OF OUR DEV. I DON'T KNOW IF ANY ACTION WILL BE TAKEN AGAINST ME BUT I FIGURED I SHOULD SEND THIS NASA FORM IN.

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.

Flight crew of A320 has WX below minimums at destination and diverts to final destination instead of flight planned alternate. Dispatch does not know where they are.