Narrative:

While circumnaving a very large, intense area of convective activity (thunderstorms) which covered the entire island of puerto rico (initially maneuvering west), we spotted a clear path through the WX which ran perpendicular to our heading (the path was north). We advised ATC that we would require a left 270 degree to align the aircraft with the intended path through the WX. ATC approved the maneuver and approved a climb to 17,000'. Approximately midway through the 270 degree turn we were instructed to make an immediate right turn to avoid a company aircraft on a converging course. At this point it seemed the ATC controller was saturated/oversaturated (understandably, with multiple WX diversions). The other aircraft was then assigned 16,000' and we were instructed to continue our right turn at 17,000. We never sighted the conflicting traffic throughout the maneuver, although the other aircraft stated they had sight of us.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF LGT AT 17,000 MSL OVER PUERTO RICO REQUESTED A TURN OF 270 DEGREES TO FLY BETWEEN TSTMS. DURING TURN CENTER CTLR INTERVENED WITH DIRECTIVE FOR AN IMMEDIATE RIGHT TURN TO AVOID A WDB ACFT HEAD ON SAME ALT.

Narrative: WHILE CIRCUMNAVING A VERY LARGE, INTENSE AREA OF CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY (TSTMS) WHICH COVERED THE ENTIRE ISLAND OF PUERTO RICO (INITIALLY MANEUVERING WEST), WE SPOTTED A CLEAR PATH THROUGH THE WX WHICH RAN PERPENDICULAR TO OUR HDG (THE PATH WAS NORTH). WE ADVISED ATC THAT WE WOULD REQUIRE A LEFT 270 DEG TO ALIGN THE ACFT WITH THE INTENDED PATH THROUGH THE WX. ATC APPROVED THE MANEUVER AND APPROVED A CLIMB TO 17,000'. APPROX MIDWAY THROUGH THE 270 DEG TURN WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO MAKE AN IMMEDIATE RIGHT TURN TO AVOID A COMPANY ACFT ON A CONVERGING COURSE. AT THIS POINT IT SEEMED THE ATC CTLR WAS SATURATED/OVERSATURATED (UNDERSTANDABLY, WITH MULTIPLE WX DIVERSIONS). THE OTHER ACFT WAS THEN ASSIGNED 16,000' AND WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO CONTINUE OUR RIGHT TURN AT 17,000. WE NEVER SIGHTED THE CONFLICTING TFC THROUGHOUT THE MANEUVER, ALTHOUGH THE OTHER ACFT STATED THEY HAD SIGHT OF US.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.