E120 captain delayed flight until adverse WX had past.

Attributes
ACN	508411
Time
Date	200104
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : xna.airport
State Reference	AR
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm Rain
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Brasilia EMB-120 All Series
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 2000 flight time type : 1300
ASRS Report	508411
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 5
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company FAA Weather
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

We arrived at the airport (xna) at XA00 for a flight from xna-dfw. A strong cold front was moving through the area and a line of storms lay across the route of flight. I discussed it with the dispatcher and we agreed to delay the flight 1 hour. 1 hour later, we again discussed it and decided to delay another hour because conditions had not improved. At approximately XC00, we spoke again and the dispatcher encouraged me to depart and try to parallel the line until I was able to find a hole south of dfw and get through the area. I told him I was not comfortable with this as the storm was now very near the xna airport and while I may find a hole near dfw, I didn't feel I could safely depart at the time. There was a tornado spotted on the ground while this phone call took place. I told him I felt it would be safe in approximately 45 mins to an hour when the storms passed xna and I had a clear route back to dfw. I was then handed to the flight control manager who continued to encourage me to depart. I told him my decision was to wait and he told me he wanted me to talk to the chief pilot upon returning to dfw. I deadheaded back to dfw on the next flight. I was assured by the chief pilot that I had done nothing wrong and no disciplinary action would be taken.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: E120 CAPT DELAYED FLT UNTIL ADVERSE WX HAD PAST.

Narrative: WE ARRIVED AT THE ARPT (XNA) AT XA00 FOR A FLT FROM XNA-DFW. A STRONG COLD FRONT WAS MOVING THROUGH THE AREA AND A LINE OF STORMS LAY ACROSS THE RTE OF FLT. I DISCUSSED IT WITH THE DISPATCHER AND WE AGREED TO DELAY THE FLT 1 HR. 1 HR LATER, WE AGAIN DISCUSSED IT AND DECIDED TO DELAY ANOTHER HR BECAUSE CONDITIONS HAD NOT IMPROVED. AT APPROX XC00, WE SPOKE AGAIN AND THE DISPATCHER ENCOURAGED ME TO DEPART AND TRY TO PARALLEL THE LINE UNTIL I WAS ABLE TO FIND A HOLE S OF DFW AND GET THROUGH THE AREA. I TOLD HIM I WAS NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THIS AS THE STORM WAS NOW VERY NEAR THE XNA ARPT AND WHILE I MAY FIND A HOLE NEAR DFW, I DIDN'T FEEL I COULD SAFELY DEPART AT THE TIME. THERE WAS A TORNADO SPOTTED ON THE GND WHILE THIS PHONE CALL TOOK PLACE. I TOLD HIM I FELT IT WOULD BE SAFE IN APPROX 45 MINS TO AN HR WHEN THE STORMS PASSED XNA AND I HAD A CLR RTE BACK TO DFW. I WAS THEN HANDED TO THE FLT CTL MGR WHO CONTINUED TO ENCOURAGE ME TO DEPART. I TOLD HIM MY DECISION WAS TO WAIT AND HE TOLD ME HE WANTED ME TO TALK TO THE CHIEF PLT UPON RETURNING TO DFW. I DEADHEADED BACK TO DFW ON THE NEXT FLT. I WAS ASSURED BY THE CHIEF PLT THAT I HAD DONE NOTHING WRONG AND NO DISCIPLINARY ACTION WOULD BE TAKEN.

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.