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In an appropriate exercise of command authority/authorized, upon encountering turbulence, the flight crew of a B737 deviate from course and altitude to avoid rapidly building cumulonimbus clouds.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 622246 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200304 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : zhu.artcc |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl single value : 19000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Weather Elements | Thunderstorm Turbulence |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zhu.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : enroute altitude change cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 3000 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 196 |
| ASRS Report | 622246 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : turbulence inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action flight crew : returned to assigned altitude flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Weather Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Weather |
Narrative:
While en route from aus to iah, we encountered cumulo form build-ups with tops to about FL240-FL250. They caused greater turbulence than we anticipated. As the flight attendants were in the aisles, I disconnected the autoplt and hand flew the aircraft into a climbing left turn away from further cloud tops, deviating from assigned altitude and course. The captain informed ATC of our actions as soon as possible. Within a few mins, we were able to return to assigned altitude and course without further incident or injuries. The captain checked with the flight attendants to ask if anyone was hurt, and they said that some passenger had orange juice spilled on them, but no one was injured.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: IN AN APPROPRIATE EXERCISE OF COMMAND AUTH, UPON ENCOUNTERING TURB, THE FLT CREW OF A B737 DEVIATE FROM COURSE AND ALT TO AVOID RAPIDLY BUILDING CUMULONIMBUS CLOUDS.
Narrative: WHILE ENRTE FROM AUS TO IAH, WE ENCOUNTERED CUMULO FORM BUILD-UPS WITH TOPS TO ABOUT FL240-FL250. THEY CAUSED GREATER TURB THAN WE ANTICIPATED. AS THE FLT ATTENDANTS WERE IN THE AISLES, I DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND HAND FLEW THE ACFT INTO A CLBING L TURN AWAY FROM FURTHER CLOUD TOPS, DEVIATING FROM ASSIGNED ALT AND COURSE. THE CAPT INFORMED ATC OF OUR ACTIONS ASAP. WITHIN A FEW MINS, WE WERE ABLE TO RETURN TO ASSIGNED ALT AND COURSE WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT OR INJURIES. THE CAPT CHKED WITH THE FLT ATTENDANTS TO ASK IF ANYONE WAS HURT, AND THEY SAID THAT SOME PAX HAD ORANGE JUICE SPILLED ON THEM, BUT NO ONE WAS INJURED.
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.