MD11 crew had to exercise emergency authority/authorized to avoid convective WX on their assigned tr...

Attributes
ACN	417347
Time
Date	199810
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : czqx
State Reference	NF
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : czqx tower : pbi
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-10 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Route In Use	enroute : atlantic
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	417347
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	417346
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

Declaration of emergency, deviation around WX. I was relief pilot on trip and was in back of the aircraft. When I returned to the cockpit, the captain informed me of the following. At XX49Z while established on track D, the captain and first officer observed substantial WX in our path. The thunderstorms were estimated to top out at FL330, we were flying at FL310. The captain requested a higher altitude from gander radio and was denied due to conflicting traffic. The captain then requested a deviation off of track D to the north. Again, the request was denied and he was directed to deviation south of course. A southerly deviation would have put the aircraft into the heart of the thunderstorm, and the captain elected to declare an emergency and deviate north of course. The approximately deviation off course was 6-8 NM. As I re-entered the cockpit after my break, the captain and first officer were in the process of rejoining the published track D. Gander had also cleared us to FL320 by this time, and the aircraft was leveling at the newly assigned flight level. The dispatch desk was notified at YY55 of the situation via satcom. Dispatch later indicated that they had contacted gander and that gander considered the matter closed with no further action on anyone's part.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD11 CREW HAD TO EXERCISE EMER AUTH TO AVOID CONVECTIVE WX ON THEIR ASSIGNED TRACK.

Narrative: DECLARATION OF EMER, DEV AROUND WX. I WAS RELIEF PLT ON TRIP AND WAS IN BACK OF THE ACFT. WHEN I RETURNED TO THE COCKPIT, THE CAPT INFORMED ME OF THE FOLLOWING. AT XX49Z WHILE ESTABLISHED ON TRACK D, THE CAPT AND FO OBSERVED SUBSTANTIAL WX IN OUR PATH. THE TSTMS WERE ESTIMATED TO TOP OUT AT FL330, WE WERE FLYING AT FL310. THE CAPT REQUESTED A HIGHER ALT FROM GANDER RADIO AND WAS DENIED DUE TO CONFLICTING TFC. THE CAPT THEN REQUESTED A DEV OFF OF TRACK D TO THE N. AGAIN, THE REQUEST WAS DENIED AND HE WAS DIRECTED TO DEV S OF COURSE. A SOUTHERLY DEV WOULD HAVE PUT THE ACFT INTO THE HEART OF THE TSTM, AND THE CAPT ELECTED TO DECLARE AN EMER AND DEVIATE N OF COURSE. THE APPROX DEV OFF COURSE WAS 6-8 NM. AS I RE-ENTERED THE COCKPIT AFTER MY BREAK, THE CAPT AND FO WERE IN THE PROCESS OF REJOINING THE PUBLISHED TRACK D. GANDER HAD ALSO CLRED US TO FL320 BY THIS TIME, AND THE ACFT WAS LEVELING AT THE NEWLY ASSIGNED FLT LEVEL. THE DISPATCH DESK WAS NOTIFIED AT YY55 OF THE SIT VIA SATCOM. DISPATCH LATER INDICATED THAT THEY HAD CONTACTED GANDER AND THAT GANDER CONSIDERED THE MATTER CLOSED WITH NO FURTHER ACTION ON ANYONE'S PART.

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.

MD11 crew had to exercise emergency authority/authorized to avoid convective WX on their assigned track.