Narrative:

We were on radar vectors and deviating around level 4 thunderstorm activity, approximately 4 mi from FAF from runway 24L at sus. On making our turn toward FAF, the line of thunderstorms that had been to the south of the airport moved in over the FAF and thunderstorms that had been west of airport had now moved on to the airport. Our only option was to turn right and head east or southeast. On final vectors our contact with approach controller was broken and we lost communication with them on 126.7. So we made the right turn on our own and re-established radio contact on another frequency. This right turn put us close to the arrival corridor at stl. Reduced separation from ATC standpoint but not close enough to the other aircraft to trigger a TA or RA from either aircraft. Being familiar with the area we were in VMC monitoring both our WX radar and TCASII. After re-establishing communication with ATC they gave us a climb to 4000 ft and vectored over the top of stl. We then diverted to aln and landed safely, calling ATC on landline per their request. The turn we made would have been necessary even if we had not lost communication (radio) problems, in order to avoid this severe WX. We are not sure if the radio problem was the aircraft or ATC radios.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A BRITISH HAWKER 125-800 TEMPORARILY LOST COMS WITH APCH CTL WHILE TURNING TO AVOID WX NEAR THE FAF.

Narrative: WE WERE ON RADAR VECTORS AND DEVIATING AROUND LEVEL 4 TSTM ACTIVITY, APPROX 4 MI FROM FAF FROM RWY 24L AT SUS. ON MAKING OUR TURN TOWARD FAF, THE LINE OF TSTMS THAT HAD BEEN TO THE S OF THE ARPT MOVED IN OVER THE FAF AND TSTMS THAT HAD BEEN W OF ARPT HAD NOW MOVED ON TO THE ARPT. OUR ONLY OPTION WAS TO TURN R AND HEAD E OR SE. ON FINAL VECTORS OUR CONTACT WITH APCH CTLR WAS BROKEN AND WE LOST COM WITH THEM ON 126.7. SO WE MADE THE R TURN ON OUR OWN AND RE-ESTABLISHED RADIO CONTACT ON ANOTHER FREQ. THIS R TURN PUT US CLOSE TO THE ARR CORRIDOR AT STL. REDUCED SEPARATION FROM ATC STANDPOINT BUT NOT CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE OTHER ACFT TO TRIGGER A TA OR RA FROM EITHER ACFT. BEING FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA WE WERE IN VMC MONITORING BOTH OUR WX RADAR AND TCASII. AFTER RE-ESTABLISHING COM WITH ATC THEY GAVE US A CLB TO 4000 FT AND VECTORED OVER THE TOP OF STL. WE THEN DIVERTED TO ALN AND LANDED SAFELY, CALLING ATC ON LANDLINE PER THEIR REQUEST. THE TURN WE MADE WOULD HAVE BEEN NECESSARY EVEN IF WE HAD NOT LOST COM (RADIO) PROBS, IN ORDER TO AVOID THIS SEVERE WX. WE ARE NOT SURE IF THE RADIO PROB WAS THE ACFT OR ATC RADIOS.

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.