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PIC uses command authority/authorized to turn off his assigned departure heading to avoid a thunderstorm 8 NM from iah.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 617957 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200405 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : iah.airport |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl single value : 4000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Weather Elements | Thunderstorm |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : i90.tracon tower : iah.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | departure : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 25000 flight time type : 6000 |
| ASRS Report | 617957 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer oversight : pic |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 800 |
| ASRS Report | 617956 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action flight crew : exited adverse environment |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Weather ATC Human Performance Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Weather |
Narrative:
After takeoff, we rolled out on the designated heading right towards the thunderstorm cell about 8 mi in front of us. The tower did not respond to 3-4 calls to turn away from the WX. Thinking we might have a transmission failure and little time to delay, we turned away from the cell, contacted departure, stated the purpose, and continued vectoring around the WX. No mention was made of any traffic conflict. I exercised my captain's emergency authority/authorized in WX avoidance. The remainder of the flight was uneventful. I would add that the tower was issuing takeoff clrncs and departure instructions to many aircraft on 2 parallel runways. With the constant chatter from the tower and the WX in the area it's a wonder there aren't more communication problems.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PIC USES COMMAND AUTH TO TURN OFF HIS ASSIGNED DEP HDG TO AVOID A TSTM 8 NM FROM IAH.
Narrative: AFTER TKOF, WE ROLLED OUT ON THE DESIGNATED HDG RIGHT TOWARDS THE TSTM CELL ABOUT 8 MI IN FRONT OF US. THE TWR DID NOT RESPOND TO 3-4 CALLS TO TURN AWAY FROM THE WX. THINKING WE MIGHT HAVE A XMISSION FAILURE AND LITTLE TIME TO DELAY, WE TURNED AWAY FROM THE CELL, CONTACTED DEP, STATED THE PURPOSE, AND CONTINUED VECTORING AROUND THE WX. NO MENTION WAS MADE OF ANY TFC CONFLICT. I EXERCISED MY CAPT'S EMER AUTH IN WX AVOIDANCE. THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. I WOULD ADD THAT THE TWR WAS ISSUING TKOF CLRNCS AND DEP INSTRUCTIONS TO MANY ACFT ON 2 PARALLEL RWYS. WITH THE CONSTANT CHATTER FROM THE TWR AND THE WX IN THE AREA IT'S A WONDER THERE AREN'T MORE COM PROBS.
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.