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A B727-200 flight crew changes their flight status to emergency traffic in order to deviate 5 degrees from assigned heading to avoid thunderstorm activity on their route of flight near cim, NM.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 511580 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200105 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : cim.vortac |
| State Reference | NM |
| Altitude | msl single value : 33000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Weather Elements | Thunderstorm |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zab.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B727-200 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 6000 |
| ASRS Report | 511580 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : wx radar other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued advisory flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure ATC Human Performance Weather |
| Primary Problem | Weather |
Narrative:
In the clear with clearance to deviate for WX then direct cim VOR when able. Smooth air, seatbelt sign off, flight attendants up and serving. ZAB assigned a vector that lined us up on a twring cumulus. I asked for 5 degrees right for WX avoidance. ZAB said no deviation right, but left was ok. A left turn was not possible as our best rate of turn would not have cleared the line of WX. The right was clear. TCASII showed no traffic conflict. Center would not allow a slight right turn. I saw no choice, but to declare an emergency and turn right. The center acknowledged. I cleared the WX and called no longer in an emergency. Center cleared me direct to cim VOR. Supplemental information from acn 511713: aircraft established on a 150 degree heading for WX. Clearance was for after deviation direct pnh (approximately 095 degree heading). Any heading left would have placed aircraft into thunderstorm line. Thunderstorm directly on nose and significantly above flight level. Controller was asked if a change in altitude would help the situation. Response was that it was 'too late in the game for that.'
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A B727-200 FLC CHANGES THEIR FLT STATUS TO EMER TFC IN ORDER TO DEVIATE 5 DEGS FROM ASSIGNED HDG TO AVOID TSTM ACTIVITY ON THEIR RTE OF FLT NEAR CIM, NM.
Narrative: IN THE CLR WITH CLRNC TO DEVIATE FOR WX THEN DIRECT CIM VOR WHEN ABLE. SMOOTH AIR, SEATBELT SIGN OFF, FLT ATTENDANTS UP AND SERVING. ZAB ASSIGNED A VECTOR THAT LINED US UP ON A TWRING CUMULUS. I ASKED FOR 5 DEGS R FOR WX AVOIDANCE. ZAB SAID NO DEV R, BUT L WAS OK. A L TURN WAS NOT POSSIBLE AS OUR BEST RATE OF TURN WOULD NOT HAVE CLRED THE LINE OF WX. THE R WAS CLR. TCASII SHOWED NO TFC CONFLICT. CTR WOULD NOT ALLOW A SLIGHT R TURN. I SAW NO CHOICE, BUT TO DECLARE AN EMER AND TURN R. THE CTR ACKNOWLEDGED. I CLRED THE WX AND CALLED NO LONGER IN AN EMER. CTR CLRED ME DIRECT TO CIM VOR. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 511713: ACFT ESTABLISHED ON A 150 DEG HDG FOR WX. CLRNC WAS FOR AFTER DEV DIRECT PNH (APPROX 095 DEG HDG). ANY HDG L WOULD HAVE PLACED ACFT INTO TSTM LINE. TSTM DIRECTLY ON NOSE AND SIGNIFICANTLY ABOVE FLT LEVEL. CTLR WAS ASKED IF A CHANGE IN ALT WOULD HELP THE SIT. RESPONSE WAS THAT IT WAS 'TOO LATE IN THE GAME FOR THAT.'
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.