Narrative:

We were being radar vectored from the sse to fly north of eaves FAF around a thunderstorm, then to land on runway 26L at sus. However, once we got north to make our turn to the airport, we discovered a line of thunderstorms that had developed and moved in from the west. We were suddenly boxed in with the only option but to turn right and proceed east to avoid them. At this same time we lost communications with approach control. We were finally able to reach them on a previous frequency. We think lightning in the area could have caused this communication loss. Apparently, when we made our turn, we came close to the arrival corridor at stl. While being situationally aware of where we were, still trying to establish communications in VMC, we felt we were at a comfortable position away from stl arrs. We did not show anyone on TCASII. We did not receive a TA or an RA. We landed at aln and phoned ATC per their request. Contributing factors: fast moving and developing thunderstorms in the area. Lightning could have been the cause of our temporary loss of communication. Inability to see what could be developing on the other side of the cell we were being vectored around. Corrective action: changed course to avoid severe thunderstorms. Re-established communication with approach control. Explained the action we needed to take in the interest of safety. Good CRM techniques were used between crew and ATC. What can be learned by this: the WX can change quickly in this type of unstable air mass. Although I feel good CRM techniques were utilized, we possibly could have enhanced it by explaining the action we would take if our plan did not work out. We did not anticipate losing communication.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A HAWKER HS125-800 PIC TURNS OFF HIS VECTORED COURSE WHEN TSTM ACTIVITY APPEARS IN BTWN HIS ACFT AND HIS DEST ARPT, SUS, MO. HE SUFFERS A LOSS OF COM FREQ AT THIS POINT.

Narrative: WE WERE BEING RADAR VECTORED FROM THE SSE TO FLY N OF EAVES FAF AROUND A TSTM, THEN TO LAND ON RWY 26L AT SUS. HOWEVER, ONCE WE GOT N TO MAKE OUR TURN TO THE ARPT, WE DISCOVERED A LINE OF TSTMS THAT HAD DEVELOPED AND MOVED IN FROM THE W. WE WERE SUDDENLY BOXED IN WITH THE ONLY OPTION BUT TO TURN R AND PROCEED E TO AVOID THEM. AT THIS SAME TIME WE LOST COMS WITH APCH CTL. WE WERE FINALLY ABLE TO REACH THEM ON A PREVIOUS FREQ. WE THINK LIGHTNING IN THE AREA COULD HAVE CAUSED THIS COM LOSS. APPARENTLY, WHEN WE MADE OUR TURN, WE CAME CLOSE TO THE ARR CORRIDOR AT STL. WHILE BEING SITUATIONALLY AWARE OF WHERE WE WERE, STILL TRYING TO ESTABLISH COMS IN VMC, WE FELT WE WERE AT A COMFORTABLE POS AWAY FROM STL ARRS. WE DID NOT SHOW ANYONE ON TCASII. WE DID NOT RECEIVE A TA OR AN RA. WE LANDED AT ALN AND PHONED ATC PER THEIR REQUEST. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: FAST MOVING AND DEVELOPING TSTMS IN THE AREA. LIGHTNING COULD HAVE BEEN THE CAUSE OF OUR TEMPORARY LOSS OF COM. INABILITY TO SEE WHAT COULD BE DEVELOPING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CELL WE WERE BEING VECTORED AROUND. CORRECTIVE ACTION: CHANGED COURSE TO AVOID SEVERE TSTMS. RE-ESTABLISHED COM WITH APCH CTL. EXPLAINED THE ACTION WE NEEDED TO TAKE IN THE INTEREST OF SAFETY. GOOD CRM TECHNIQUES WERE USED BTWN CREW AND ATC. WHAT CAN BE LEARNED BY THIS: THE WX CAN CHANGE QUICKLY IN THIS TYPE OF UNSTABLE AIR MASS. ALTHOUGH I FEEL GOOD CRM TECHNIQUES WERE UTILIZED, WE POSSIBLY COULD HAVE ENHANCED IT BY EXPLAINING THE ACTION WE WOULD TAKE IF OUR PLAN DID NOT WORK OUT. WE DID NOT ANTICIPATE LOSING COM.

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.