Commuter small transport altitude deviate and track deviate during thunderstorm avoidance.

Attributes
ACN	139095
Time
Date	199003
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ind
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ind
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 6300 flight time type : 1700
ASRS Report	139095
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 2500 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	139098
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After departing ind to the north we were given a turn to the west and told to let the controller know when we could turn south on course. The controller told us we could turn south and look at the trw's on our radar and deviate as necessary and climb to 13000'. At 12000' our aircraft picked up moderate ice and the WX was not flyable ahead so I turned back to a west heading and with the ice and turbulence did not climb above 12000' for a couple of mins. The controller questioned our heading and also showed us in a descent. The controller was very busy at the time and we were unable to advise him of our deviation, and that we would like a lower altitude. To correct this situation it would be nice to have a radar that did not require the aircraft to be flown toward the storm and controllers that were not so busy during inclement WX. The ATC system seems to work well during fair WX days but something needs to be done to keep the ATC system uncluttered at least communication wise during times of severe WX.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER SMT ALT DEVIATE AND TRACK DEVIATE DURING TSTM AVOIDANCE.

Narrative: AFTER DEPARTING IND TO THE N WE WERE GIVEN A TURN TO THE W AND TOLD TO LET THE CTLR KNOW WHEN WE COULD TURN S ON COURSE. THE CTLR TOLD US WE COULD TURN S AND LOOK AT THE TRW'S ON OUR RADAR AND DEVIATE AS NECESSARY AND CLB TO 13000'. AT 12000' OUR ACFT PICKED UP MODERATE ICE AND THE WX WAS NOT FLYABLE AHEAD SO I TURNED BACK TO A W HDG AND WITH THE ICE AND TURB DID NOT CLB ABOVE 12000' FOR A COUPLE OF MINS. THE CTLR QUESTIONED OUR HDG AND ALSO SHOWED US IN A DSCNT. THE CTLR WAS VERY BUSY AT THE TIME AND WE WERE UNABLE TO ADVISE HIM OF OUR DEVIATION, AND THAT WE WOULD LIKE A LOWER ALT. TO CORRECT THIS SITUATION IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE A RADAR THAT DID NOT REQUIRE THE ACFT TO BE FLOWN TOWARD THE STORM AND CTLRS THAT WERE NOT SO BUSY DURING INCLEMENT WX. THE ATC SYS SEEMS TO WORK WELL DURING FAIR WX DAYS BUT SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE TO KEEP THE ATC SYS UNCLUTTERED AT LEAST COM WISE DURING TIMES OF SEVERE WX.

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.