A C206 pilot deviates off his altitude and assigned track to avoid hazardous WX.

Attributes
ACN	527050
Time
Date	200110
Day	Wed
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zab.artcc
State Reference	NM
Altitude	msl single value : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna Stationair/Turbo Stationair 6
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 1050 flight time type : 30
ASRS Report	527050
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

The problem arose when a student of mine and I were flying from tvs to lar and unforecasted WX popped up (thunderstorms). We didn't have radar or WX monitoring equipment and we were going into and out of the clouds just enough to see a big cell straight in front of us. We couldn't cancel IFR but could not stay on course and fly through the storm. ATC wanted us higher because we were flying off of the airway to deviate. A higher altitude would have put us back into IMC where we wouldn't have been able to monitor the thunderstorm. We were in a lose/lose situation so we ended up deviating off of the airway and altitude. I felt that this was in our best interest concerning the safety of ourselves and aircraft. The WX was not good enough to cancel IFR.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C206 PLT DEVIATES OFF HIS ALT AND ASSIGNED TRACK TO AVOID HAZARDOUS WX.

Narrative: THE PROB AROSE WHEN A STUDENT OF MINE AND I WERE FLYING FROM TVS TO LAR AND UNFORECASTED WX POPPED UP (TSTMS). WE DIDN'T HAVE RADAR OR WX MONITORING EQUIP AND WE WERE GOING INTO AND OUT OF THE CLOUDS JUST ENOUGH TO SEE A BIG CELL STRAIGHT IN FRONT OF US. WE COULDN'T CANCEL IFR BUT COULD NOT STAY ON COURSE AND FLY THROUGH THE STORM. ATC WANTED US HIGHER BECAUSE WE WERE FLYING OFF OF THE AIRWAY TO DEVIATE. A HIGHER ALT WOULD HAVE PUT US BACK INTO IMC WHERE WE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MONITOR THE TSTM. WE WERE IN A LOSE/LOSE SIT SO WE ENDED UP DEVIATING OFF OF THE AIRWAY AND ALT. I FELT THAT THIS WAS IN OUR BEST INTEREST CONCERNING THE SAFETY OF OURSELVES AND ACFT. THE WX WAS NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO CANCEL IFR.

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.