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Heading track deviation after the use of a regional jet PIC's command authority/authorized in proximity of thunderstorm activity 20 NM north of vxv, tn.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 554106 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200207 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : vxv.vortac |
| State Reference | TN |
| Altitude | msl single value : 23500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Weather Elements | Thunderstorm |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : ztl.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | climbout : vacating altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 270 flight time total : 4400 flight time type : 400 |
| ASRS Report | 554106 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : radar other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action other |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Weather ATC Human Performance Airspace Structure |
| Primary Problem | Weather |
| Air Traffic Incident | Intra Facility Coordination Failure |
Narrative:
Climbing out of FL255 north of vxv, we were heading directly toward a large buildup. It looked to be approximately 3 mins before we entered the buildup area, and it was obvious that we could not top the cloud. We requested a right deviation, and ZTL said it had our request. The controller did not address our request and after 2 mins, I called the controller and told him I needed a left or right turn. He replied that he couldn't approve a turn until we reached FL240, but that I could declare an emergency if I liked. Since flying into the buildup presented an unacceptable level of risk in my mind, I declared an emergency and deviated 10-15 degrees to the right for approximately 20 mi. I believe the controller could have approved a turn for us, but was task saturated due to a large area of poor WX and associated aircraft deviations.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: HDG TRACK DEV AFTER THE USE OF A REGIONAL JET PIC'S COMMAND AUTH IN PROX OF TSTM ACTIVITY 20 NM N OF VXV, TN.
Narrative: CLBING OUT OF FL255 N OF VXV, WE WERE HEADING DIRECTLY TOWARD A LARGE BUILDUP. IT LOOKED TO BE APPROX 3 MINS BEFORE WE ENTERED THE BUILDUP AREA, AND IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT WE COULD NOT TOP THE CLOUD. WE REQUESTED A R DEV, AND ZTL SAID IT HAD OUR REQUEST. THE CTLR DID NOT ADDRESS OUR REQUEST AND AFTER 2 MINS, I CALLED THE CTLR AND TOLD HIM I NEEDED A L OR R TURN. HE REPLIED THAT HE COULDN'T APPROVE A TURN UNTIL WE REACHED FL240, BUT THAT I COULD DECLARE AN EMER IF I LIKED. SINCE FLYING INTO THE BUILDUP PRESENTED AN UNACCEPTABLE LEVEL OF RISK IN MY MIND, I DECLARED AN EMER AND DEVIATED 10-15 DEGS TO THE R FOR APPROX 20 MI. I BELIEVE THE CTLR COULD HAVE APPROVED A TURN FOR US, BUT WAS TASK SATURATED DUE TO A LARGE AREA OF POOR WX AND ASSOCIATED ACFT DEVS.
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.