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Air carrier flight crew advises ZAB controller of multiple WX deviations and conflicts with other deviating traffic.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 516659 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200107 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : zab.artcc |
| State Reference | NM |
| Altitude | msl single value : 35000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Weather Elements | Thunderstorm |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zab.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zab.artcc |
| Operator | Other |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | other : unk |
| Flight Phase | other |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 2000 |
| ASRS Report | 516659 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance flight crew : exited adverse environment |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance Weather Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
We were very busy deviating around numerous thunderstorms with little room to maneuver. After being handed off to a new controller, we informed him we were deviating and received his permission. Our route (planned) was approximately 5-10 mi to our right. As we broke out of some clouds, additional cells became visible in front of us. I asked my first officer to inform the controller we would have to make a hard right turn. He did and the controller approved it. Several mins later I told the first officer to let the controller know we could turn left on course in a few mi. The controller then stated, ' I didn't think you were going to turn that far.' we then saw traffic coming at us on the TCASII, at the same altitude. The controller was confused which way to turn us and then said, 'at least you won't hit.' I offered a 10 degree left turn (toward thunderstorm). He said, 'ok, and climb immediately to FL370 and prepare for an immediate descent back to FL350.' we complied, and advised we could only continue on present heading for 1 more mi. He then cleared us to FL350 and gave permission to deviate. The other traffic became a yellow target on TCASII. However, we never reached the point of receiving an RA. It appeared that the controller had a large area to cover, with several aircraft deviating. It was obvious he did not see our situation develop and didn't know how to immediately correct the problem. Although I thought I had communicated our plan as soon as we had one, I probably should have continued to update him.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ACR FLC ADVISES ZAB CTLR OF MULTIPLE WX DEVS AND CONFLICTS WITH OTHER DEVIATING TFC.
Narrative: WE WERE VERY BUSY DEVIATING AROUND NUMEROUS TSTMS WITH LITTLE ROOM TO MANEUVER. AFTER BEING HANDED OFF TO A NEW CTLR, WE INFORMED HIM WE WERE DEVIATING AND RECEIVED HIS PERMISSION. OUR RTE (PLANNED) WAS APPROX 5-10 MI TO OUR R. AS WE BROKE OUT OF SOME CLOUDS, ADDITIONAL CELLS BECAME VISIBLE IN FRONT OF US. I ASKED MY FO TO INFORM THE CTLR WE WOULD HAVE TO MAKE A HARD R TURN. HE DID AND THE CTLR APPROVED IT. SEVERAL MINS LATER I TOLD THE FO TO LET THE CTLR KNOW WE COULD TURN L ON COURSE IN A FEW MI. THE CTLR THEN STATED, ' I DIDN'T THINK YOU WERE GOING TO TURN THAT FAR.' WE THEN SAW TFC COMING AT US ON THE TCASII, AT THE SAME ALT. THE CTLR WAS CONFUSED WHICH WAY TO TURN US AND THEN SAID, 'AT LEAST YOU WON'T HIT.' I OFFERED A 10 DEG L TURN (TOWARD TSTM). HE SAID, 'OK, AND CLB IMMEDIATELY TO FL370 AND PREPARE FOR AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT BACK TO FL350.' WE COMPLIED, AND ADVISED WE COULD ONLY CONTINUE ON PRESENT HDG FOR 1 MORE MI. HE THEN CLRED US TO FL350 AND GAVE PERMISSION TO DEVIATE. THE OTHER TFC BECAME A YELLOW TARGET ON TCASII. HOWEVER, WE NEVER REACHED THE POINT OF RECEIVING AN RA. IT APPEARED THAT THE CTLR HAD A LARGE AREA TO COVER, WITH SEVERAL ACFT DEVIATING. IT WAS OBVIOUS HE DID NOT SEE OUR SIT DEVELOP AND DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO IMMEDIATELY CORRECT THE PROB. ALTHOUGH I THOUGHT I HAD COMMUNICATED OUR PLAN AS SOON AS WE HAD ONE, I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE CONTINUED TO UPDATE HIM.
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.