Flight crew of large transport must divert to alternate when delays at destination prove excessive. ...

Attributes
ACN	777362
Time
Date	200803
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tpa.airport
State Reference	FL
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zma.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	777362
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather Airport Company
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

The flight was scheduled to tpa. Dispatch fob was 18.8 and rsw was the alternate. At departure time; a line of WX extended from srq to crg with movement east predicted. Fuel was judged to be sufficient by dispatcher and myself. ATC rerouted flight to scw and the corresponding arrival due to WX over tpa. Flight held over hevnn intersection while waiting improvement. Alternate was changed to jax but pns was left as an option because of severe WX between the flight and jax. I expressed my plan to go to pns with the dispatcher via ACARS but did not receive a timely reply. As my fuel reached 9.5; I sent the dispatcher a message stating our plan to proceed to pns. We landed at pns with 6.0 fuel. The aircraft was refueled and re-dispatched on to tpa when the airport reopened to arrival. Carrying more fuel is always helpful. In this case; adequate fuel would've caused a release takeoff weight greater than maximum certified takeoff weight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF LGT MUST DIVERT TO ALTERNATE WHEN DELAYS AT DESTINATION PROVE EXCESSIVE. ARE UNABLE TO COMMUNICATE DECISION TO DISPATCHER PRIOR TO DOING SO.

Narrative: THE FLT WAS SCHEDULED TO TPA. DISPATCH FOB WAS 18.8 AND RSW WAS THE ALTERNATE. AT DEP TIME; A LINE OF WX EXTENDED FROM SRQ TO CRG WITH MOVEMENT E PREDICTED. FUEL WAS JUDGED TO BE SUFFICIENT BY DISPATCHER AND MYSELF. ATC REROUTED FLT TO SCW AND THE CORRESPONDING ARR DUE TO WX OVER TPA. FLT HELD OVER HEVNN INTXN WHILE WAITING IMPROVEMENT. ALTERNATE WAS CHANGED TO JAX BUT PNS WAS LEFT AS AN OPTION BECAUSE OF SEVERE WX BTWN THE FLT AND JAX. I EXPRESSED MY PLAN TO GO TO PNS WITH THE DISPATCHER VIA ACARS BUT DID NOT RECEIVE A TIMELY REPLY. AS MY FUEL REACHED 9.5; I SENT THE DISPATCHER A MESSAGE STATING OUR PLAN TO PROCEED TO PNS. WE LANDED AT PNS WITH 6.0 FUEL. THE ACFT WAS REFUELED AND RE-DISPATCHED ON TO TPA WHEN THE ARPT REOPENED TO ARR. CARRYING MORE FUEL IS ALWAYS HELPFUL. IN THIS CASE; ADEQUATE FUEL WOULD'VE CAUSED A RELEASE TKOF WT GREATER THAN MAX CERTIFIED TKOF WT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.

Flight crew of large transport must divert to alternate when delays at destination prove excessive. Are unable to communicate decision to dispatcher prior to doing so.