Narrative:

While on STAR arrival into tpa, we were at FL240 when ZJX cleared us down to FL220, the pilot's discretion to cross 35 NM out of pie at 13000'. 'After FL220, you're cleared to deviate south, as necessary.' there was a solid line of WX indicated on our radar to our right (west), and some moderate turbulence and rain was our our flight condition. To the east was clear. At approximately 60 DME from pie VOR there was 1 cell directly on our inbound radial, and by our radar it appeared that a turn 3-4 mi left would clear WX. I came left 20 degrees and flew that heading for 10 mi and was turning back to right to reintercept the pie 330 degree right when ZJX came on saying, 'you were not authority/authorized to deviate to the east...' then came a garbled transmission. My copilot tried 3 times to clarify the garbled part, but ZJX did not immediately reply. When he did, he said, 'come right to 180 degrees and fly that heading.' he again stated we were not cleared to deviate to the east. Flight proceeded on to tpa west/O further incident. It appears that someone else was climbing out to our east. That was probably what the problem turned out to be, however while we were cleared to deviate to the south, we were not informed not to deviate to the east. At 40 DME from pie, I rotated my course indicator and it recentered at 157 degrees (route was 320 degree right, or 7 degrees off at 40 DME or approximately 4.3 NM from centerline). If it had been important for us not to ge east, ZJX should have told us, 'you're cleared to deviate to the right, south, but do not go to left, east, I have traffic in that area.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG DEVIATES OFF COURSE DUE TO WX.

Narrative: WHILE ON STAR ARR INTO TPA, WE WERE AT FL240 WHEN ZJX CLRED US DOWN TO FL220, THE PLT'S DISCRETION TO CROSS 35 NM OUT OF PIE AT 13000'. 'AFTER FL220, YOU'RE CLRED TO DEVIATE S, AS NECESSARY.' THERE WAS A SOLID LINE OF WX INDICATED ON OUR RADAR TO OUR RIGHT (W), AND SOME MODERATE TURB AND RAIN WAS OUR OUR FLT CONDITION. TO THE E WAS CLR. AT APPROX 60 DME FROM PIE VOR THERE WAS 1 CELL DIRECTLY ON OUR INBND RADIAL, AND BY OUR RADAR IT APPEARED THAT A TURN 3-4 MI LEFT WOULD CLR WX. I CAME LEFT 20 DEGS AND FLEW THAT HDG FOR 10 MI AND WAS TURNING BACK TO RIGHT TO REINTERCEPT THE PIE 330 DEG R WHEN ZJX CAME ON SAYING, 'YOU WERE NOT AUTH TO DEVIATE TO THE E...' THEN CAME A GARBLED XMISSION. MY COPLT TRIED 3 TIMES TO CLARIFY THE GARBLED PART, BUT ZJX DID NOT IMMEDIATELY REPLY. WHEN HE DID, HE SAID, 'COME RIGHT TO 180 DEGS AND FLY THAT HDG.' HE AGAIN STATED WE WERE NOT CLRED TO DEVIATE TO THE E. FLT PROCEEDED ON TO TPA W/O FURTHER INCIDENT. IT APPEARS THAT SOMEONE ELSE WAS CLBING OUT TO OUR E. THAT WAS PROBABLY WHAT THE PROB TURNED OUT TO BE, HOWEVER WHILE WE WERE CLRED TO DEVIATE TO THE S, WE WERE NOT INFORMED NOT TO DEVIATE TO THE E. AT 40 DME FROM PIE, I ROTATED MY COURSE INDICATOR AND IT RECENTERED AT 157 DEGS (RTE WAS 320 DEG R, OR 7 DEGS OFF AT 40 DME OR APPROX 4.3 NM FROM CENTERLINE). IF IT HAD BEEN IMPORTANT FOR US NOT TO GE E, ZJX SHOULD HAVE TOLD US, 'YOU'RE CLRED TO DEVIATE TO THE RIGHT, S, BUT DO NOT GO TO LEFT, E, I HAVE TFC IN THAT AREA.'

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.