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A B757 crew, at FL240, encountering severe WX, threatened using the captain's emergency authority/authorized if not given clearance to deviate.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 545160 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200204 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : tjsj.airport |
| State Reference | PR |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 24000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Weather Elements | Thunderstorm |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zsu.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | descent : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| ASRS Report | 545160 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| ASRS Report | 545166 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure non adherence other other anomaly other other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Facility ATC Human Performance Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance Weather |
| Primary Problem | Weather |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
There were numerous build-ups -- some showing red on the radar, 20 mins north of sju at XA20Z. The female controller on ZSU was overloaded and not answering our requests for deviations. At one point we had a cell in front of us and we asked 6 or 7 times for a turn to the left. The captain had to turn to avoid WX and told her his heading would be 090 degrees, and if she didn't respond he was going to declare an emergency. She finally answered and acknowledged our call. There were several flts that had the same problem as we did and she did not respond to them either. At no time did a supervisor take over to help her or the numerous aircraft deviating. Supplemental information from acn 545166: we were inbound descending to 11000 ft just before being handed over to sju approach control. We relied on our TCASII and WX radar in this situation.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A B757 CREW, AT FL240, ENCOUNTERING SEVERE WX, THREATENED USING THE CAPT'S EMER AUTH IF NOT GIVEN CLRNC TO DEVIATE.
Narrative: THERE WERE NUMEROUS BUILD-UPS -- SOME SHOWING RED ON THE RADAR, 20 MINS N OF SJU AT XA20Z. THE FEMALE CTLR ON ZSU WAS OVERLOADED AND NOT ANSWERING OUR REQUESTS FOR DEVS. AT ONE POINT WE HAD A CELL IN FRONT OF US AND WE ASKED 6 OR 7 TIMES FOR A TURN TO THE L. THE CAPT HAD TO TURN TO AVOID WX AND TOLD HER HIS HDG WOULD BE 090 DEGS, AND IF SHE DIDN'T RESPOND HE WAS GOING TO DECLARE AN EMER. SHE FINALLY ANSWERED AND ACKNOWLEDGED OUR CALL. THERE WERE SEVERAL FLTS THAT HAD THE SAME PROB AS WE DID AND SHE DID NOT RESPOND TO THEM EITHER. AT NO TIME DID A SUPVR TAKE OVER TO HELP HER OR THE NUMEROUS ACFT DEVIATING. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 545166: WE WERE INBOUND DSNDING TO 11000 FT JUST BEFORE BEING HANDED OVER TO SJU APCH CTL. WE RELIED ON OUR TCASII AND WX RADAR IN THIS SIT.
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.