B767 flight crew encounters an unreported volcanic ash cloud near pdx.

Attributes
ACN	795742
Time
Date	200807
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zse.artcc
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl single value : 27000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zse.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 110
ASRS Report	795742
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Company
Primary Problem	Environmental Factor

Narrative:

En route; we avoided a volcanic ash cloud. The source of the cloud was from a volcanic crater in the aleutian islands. Upon the captain and I reviewing the flight plan and pre-dispatch paperwork generated by company dispatch; the captain and I found no mention of the volcanic ash cloud that lay across our route. The volcanic ash clouds was more than 5 hours old and should have been reported at the very least in the notes or WX section of our paperwork. At no time did we enter the ash cloud and all caution was taken to avoid the ash cloud. We alerted our company dispatch about the volcanic ash cloud. They in return ACARS'ed us an updated volmet.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767 FLT CREW ENCOUNTERS AN UNREPORTED VOLCANIC ASH CLOUD NEAR PDX.

Narrative: ENRTE; WE AVOIDED A VOLCANIC ASH CLOUD. THE SOURCE OF THE CLOUD WAS FROM A VOLCANIC CRATER IN THE ALEUTIAN ISLANDS. UPON THE CAPT AND I REVIEWING THE FLT PLAN AND PRE-DISPATCH PAPERWORK GENERATED BY COMPANY DISPATCH; THE CAPT AND I FOUND NO MENTION OF THE VOLCANIC ASH CLOUD THAT LAY ACROSS OUR RTE. THE VOLCANIC ASH CLOUDS WAS MORE THAN 5 HRS OLD AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN RPTED AT THE VERY LEAST IN THE NOTES OR WX SECTION OF OUR PAPERWORK. AT NO TIME DID WE ENTER THE ASH CLOUD AND ALL CAUTION WAS TAKEN TO AVOID THE ASH CLOUD. WE ALERTED OUR COMPANY DISPATCH ABOUT THE VOLCANIC ASH CLOUD. THEY IN RETURN ACARS'ED US AN UPDATED VOLMET.

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.