S80 after multiple attempts to contact departure control, use emergency authority/authorized to avoi...

Attributes
ACN	442660
Time
Date	199907
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw.airport
State Reference	TX
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : d10.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	442660
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : turbulence inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : took evasive action flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Environmental Factor ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

This report concerns 1) ATC irregularity, 2) exercise of emergency authority/authorized, 3) condition affecting safety of flight, and 4) deviation from FAA or air carrier procedures. Departed runway 17R at dfw at approximately XA00. Line of thunderstorm due south of airport oriented northeast/southwest approximately 7 mi south of dfw. Middle of departure complex, very busy. Traffic departing runway 17R and runway 18L. Switched to departure control and requested right turn for WX. No reply, departure controller working 2 different frequency. 6 attempts to contact departure -- all no reply. Turned right to 270 degrees and made 5 or 6 attempts to inform departure that we had turned. No reply at dfw during a busy complex with serious WX in the vicinity it is highly irresponsible to assign a departure controller to work 2 different and extremely busy frequencys.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: S80 AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT DEP CTL, USE EMER AUTH TO AVOID SEVERE WX AT DFW.

Narrative: THIS RPT CONCERNS 1) ATC IRREGULARITY, 2) EXERCISE OF EMER AUTH, 3) CONDITION AFFECTING SAFETY OF FLT, AND 4) DEV FROM FAA OR ACR PROCS. DEPARTED RWY 17R AT DFW AT APPROX XA00. LINE OF TSTM DUE S OF ARPT ORIENTED NE/SW APPROX 7 MI S OF DFW. MIDDLE OF DEP COMPLEX, VERY BUSY. TFC DEPARTING RWY 17R AND RWY 18L. SWITCHED TO DEP CTL AND REQUESTED R TURN FOR WX. NO REPLY, DEP CTLR WORKING 2 DIFFERENT FREQ. 6 ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT DEP -- ALL NO REPLY. TURNED R TO 270 DEGS AND MADE 5 OR 6 ATTEMPTS TO INFORM DEP THAT WE HAD TURNED. NO REPLY AT DFW DURING A BUSY COMPLEX WITH SERIOUS WX IN THE VICINITY IT IS HIGHLY IRRESPONSIBLE TO ASSIGN A DEP CTLR TO WORK 2 DIFFERENT AND EXTREMELY BUSY FREQS.

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.

S80 after multiple attempts to contact departure control, use emergency authority/authorized to avoid severe WX at dfw.