After a harrowing flight through a thunderstorm and poor flight handling, a HS125 flight crew calls ...

Attributes
ACN	555127
Time
Date	200207
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
State Reference	NM
Altitude	msl single value : 39000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Weather Elements	Turbulence Thunderstorm
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab.artcc
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	HS 125 Series 1-600
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B777 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 12500 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	555127
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : turbulence inflight encounter : weather non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other controllera other controllerb other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

Departed kdal XA30 zulu en route to ksan. We were cleared to FL350 for the en route cruise portion of the flight. After passing txo-VOR we were cleared direct to the gbn-VOR. ZAB had taken control at this time. ZAB ATC asked if we could accept FL390. The captain (PIC) said that we could but it would take a while to reach FL390. It took about 12 min to reach FL390. There was a line of severe WX from west of el paso tx/NM/co tops above FL450. Most all aircraft were deviating for this WX. Our aircraft track and altitude was ok to pass between and over the worst build-ups. ZAB ATC asked if we could turn left (south) for a vector. This vector would have taken us directly into WX south of our position. The PIC instructed me (sic) to tell ATC that we could only go straight ahead because of the WX south, north, and below us at this time. ZAB ATC then told us to descend to FL350. I repeated the clearance back. The PIC instructed me to inform ATC that we were going down into the WX below us. About FL38.5 we encountered strong updrafts which set off our MM overspeed horn. The ovs breaker was pulled to keep our passengers calm while we tried to descend. ZAB ATC started calling wanting to know why we were not coming down fast enough to suit them. The PIC told ZAB ATC (himself) that he was doing the best he could. He did this 3 times while flying as well and that we were about to lose our cabin attendant pressuration as well. ATC said something about 16 degrees left. The flight deck noise level was very high due to the radio static, aircraft speed, WX/ice. I reported through FL370 to ZAB ATC 2 or 3 times. Finally ZAB ATC was hearing and told us to turn left 60 degree and get down to FL350 or we would be meeting a B777. About 1 min later we popped out of the west side of the thunder storm. ZAB ATC then switch us to another ZAB ATC frequency. The PIC asked this controller what was the problem. We were told to call them on the landline to get the answer. The rest of the flight was uneventful. After landing in ksan I (sic) called ZAB because the (PIC) was still upset over our flight handling by ZAB. I asked for the supervisor and some person got on the phone and wanted to know if we were on drugs? I told this person if this was in question that we would report to the tower in ksan and that they should do the same. I turned the phone over to the PIC which exchanged a few words with the ZAB supervisor.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AFTER A HARROWING FLT THROUGH A THUNDERSTORM AND POOR FLT HANDLING, A HS125 FLT CREW CALLS THE ABQ ARTCC SUPVR AFTER LNDG SAN AND ARE ASKED IF THE FLIGHT CREW WAS ON DRUGS.

Narrative: DEPARTED KDAL XA30 ZULU ENRTE TO KSAN. WE WERE CLRED TO FL350 FOR THE ENRTE CRUISE PORTION OF THE FLT. AFTER PASSING TXO-VOR WE WERE CLRED DIRECT TO THE GBN-VOR. ZAB HAD TAKEN CTL AT THIS TIME. ZAB ATC ASKED IF WE COULD ACCEPT FL390. THE CAPT (PIC) SAID THAT WE COULD BUT IT WOULD TAKE A WHILE TO REACH FL390. IT TOOK ABOUT 12 MIN TO REACH FL390. THERE WAS A LINE OF SEVERE WX FROM W OF EL PASO TX/NM/CO TOPS ABOVE FL450. MOST ALL ACFT WERE DEVIATING FOR THIS WX. OUR ACFT TRACK AND ALT WAS OK TO PASS BTWN AND OVER THE WORST BUILD-UPS. ZAB ATC ASKED IF WE COULD TURN L (S) FOR A VECTOR. THIS VECTOR WOULD HAVE TAKEN US DIRECTLY INTO WX S OF OUR POS. THE PIC INSTRUCTED ME (SIC) TO TELL ATC THAT WE COULD ONLY GO STRAIGHT AHEAD BECAUSE OF THE WX S, N, AND BELOW US AT THIS TIME. ZAB ATC THEN TOLD US TO DSND TO FL350. I REPEATED THE CLRNC BACK. THE PIC INSTRUCTED ME TO INFORM ATC THAT WE WERE GOING DOWN INTO THE WX BELOW US. ABOUT FL38.5 WE ENCOUNTERED STRONG UPDRAFTS WHICH SET OFF OUR MM OVERSPEED HORN. THE OVS BREAKER WAS PULLED TO KEEP OUR PAXS CALM WHILE WE TRIED TO DSND. ZAB ATC STARTED CALLING WANTING TO KNOW WHY WE WERE NOT COMING DOWN FAST ENOUGH TO SUIT THEM. THE PIC TOLD ZAB ATC (HIMSELF) THAT HE WAS DOING THE BEST HE COULD. HE DID THIS 3 TIMES WHILE FLYING AS WELL AND THAT WE WERE ABOUT TO LOSE OUR CAB PRESSURATION AS WELL. ATC SAID SOMETHING ABOUT 16 DEGS LEFT. THE FLT DECK NOISE LEVEL WAS VERY HIGH DUE TO THE RADIO STATIC, ACFT SPEED, WX/ICE. I RPTED THROUGH FL370 TO ZAB ATC 2 OR 3 TIMES. FINALLY ZAB ATC WAS HEARING AND TOLD US TO TURN L 60 DEG AND GET DOWN TO FL350 OR WE WOULD BE MEETING A B777. ABOUT 1 MIN LATER WE POPPED OUT OF THE W SIDE OF THE THUNDER STORM. ZAB ATC THEN SWITCH US TO ANOTHER ZAB ATC FREQ. THE PIC ASKED THIS CTLR WHAT WAS THE PROB. WE WERE TOLD TO CALL THEM ON THE LANDLINE TO GET THE ANSWER. THE REST OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. AFTER LNDG IN KSAN I (SIC) CALLED ZAB BECAUSE THE (PIC) WAS STILL UPSET OVER OUR FLT HANDLING BY ZAB. I ASKED FOR THE SUPERVISOR AND SOME PERSON GOT ON THE PHONE AND WANTED TO KNOW IF WE WERE ON DRUGS? I TOLD THIS PERSON IF THIS WAS IN QUESTION THAT WE WOULD RPT TO THE TWR IN KSAN AND THAT THEY SHOULD DO THE SAME. I TURNED THE PHONE OVER TO THE PIC WHICH EXCHANGED A FEW WORDS WITH THE ZAB SUPVR.

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.

After a harrowing flight through a thunderstorm and poor flight handling, a HS125 flight crew calls the abq ARTCC supervisor after landing san and are asked if the flight crew was on drugs.