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B747-400 crew was required to declare an emergency to avoid flight into a thunderstorm cell in pacific international airspace.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 594166 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200309 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : rjtg.artcc |
| State Reference | FO |
| Altitude | msl single value : 33000 |
| Environment | |
| Weather Elements | Thunderstorm |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : rjtg.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B747-400 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Route In Use | enroute : pacific |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : rjtg.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 1000 |
| ASRS Report | 594166 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 26 flight time total : 5567 flight time type : 1300 |
| ASRS Report | 594160 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : weather |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : wx radar other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : declared emergency |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Weather ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Weather |
Narrative:
Flight was in the vicinity of convective activity along track #2 for the date indicated. We had requested deviation previous to this incident and had been told 'unable' via cpdlc. We deviated according to pacific hi 1 chart procedures at that time and remained within 7.5 NM of track. At XA57Z we advised tokyo (rjtg) that we would require deviation to the right off course for WX and would declare an emergency if necessary to deviate. We got no response and at XB00Z we sent the cpdlc emergency page saying we were deviating 20 NM right off course, and we began the deviation. At XB02Z we got a response back saying 'deviation left 20' would be approved, state intentions. We advised that we had declared emergency and were deviating right. Upon reaching 17.5 NM right off course we advised that we were that far right off course XB04Z. We began returning to course after passing the cell. At XB16Z we reported back on course and advised that the 'emergency was over' via cpdlc. Our flight avoided the WX without incident. We also had radio contact with 2 other company flts in our vicinity (both visible on TCASII) and found that they too were having trouble getting deviation clrncs from rjtg. We kept dispatch advised of what was happening during this entire event via ACARS.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B747-400 CREW WAS REQUIRED TO DECLARE AN EMER TO AVOID FLT INTO A TSTM CELL IN PACIFIC INTL AIRSPACE.
Narrative: FLT WAS IN THE VICINITY OF CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY ALONG TRACK #2 FOR THE DATE INDICATED. WE HAD REQUESTED DEV PREVIOUS TO THIS INCIDENT AND HAD BEEN TOLD 'UNABLE' VIA CPDLC. WE DEVIATED ACCORDING TO PACIFIC HI 1 CHART PROCS AT THAT TIME AND REMAINED WITHIN 7.5 NM OF TRACK. AT XA57Z WE ADVISED TOKYO (RJTG) THAT WE WOULD REQUIRE DEV TO THE R OFF COURSE FOR WX AND WOULD DECLARE AN EMER IF NECESSARY TO DEVIATE. WE GOT NO RESPONSE AND AT XB00Z WE SENT THE CPDLC EMER PAGE SAYING WE WERE DEVIATING 20 NM R OFF COURSE, AND WE BEGAN THE DEV. AT XB02Z WE GOT A RESPONSE BACK SAYING 'DEV L 20' WOULD BE APPROVED, STATE INTENTIONS. WE ADVISED THAT WE HAD DECLARED EMER AND WERE DEVIATING R. UPON REACHING 17.5 NM R OFF COURSE WE ADVISED THAT WE WERE THAT FAR R OFF COURSE XB04Z. WE BEGAN RETURNING TO COURSE AFTER PASSING THE CELL. AT XB16Z WE RPTED BACK ON COURSE AND ADVISED THAT THE 'EMER WAS OVER' VIA CPDLC. OUR FLT AVOIDED THE WX WITHOUT INCIDENT. WE ALSO HAD RADIO CONTACT WITH 2 OTHER COMPANY FLTS IN OUR VICINITY (BOTH VISIBLE ON TCASII) AND FOUND THAT THEY TOO WERE HAVING TROUBLE GETTING DEV CLRNCS FROM RJTG. WE KEPT DISPATCH ADVISED OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING DURING THIS ENTIRE EVENT VIA ACARS.
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.