Narrative:

Departed on scheduled air carrier flight from bhc to phx. WX was 3000' broken, 15 mi visibility. Contacted los angeles center. Transmission was weak. Cleared as filed climb and maintain 11000'. At that time we idented a large thunderstorm both visually and with WX radar. We requested to maintain VMC below to cloud deck and deviate south around the storm. Cleared to deviate as necessary however ATC did not copy our request to remain VMC at 3000' MSL. We then experienced lost communication due to our low altitude. Another air carrier relayed our intentions to ATC. Approximately 5 mins later we were clear of the storm and began to climb to 11000' in VMC. We were able to reestablish radio contact and establish radar contact well prior to entering IMC. We explained the situation but were chastised by ATC for not climbing immediately. The flight continued to phx west/O further incident. In my opinion a climb into IMC would not have allowed safe navigation around the storm and terrain sep off the arwy would not be assured. The primary factor of this incident was poor communication and radar coverage in the area.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER SMT FLT CREW FAILED TO CLIMB AS CLEARED WHILE AVOIDING TSTM ACTIVITY.

Narrative: DEPARTED ON SCHEDULED AIR CARRIER FLT FROM BHC TO PHX. WX WAS 3000' BKN, 15 MI VIS. CONTACTED LOS ANGELES CENTER. XMISSION WAS WEAK. CLRED AS FILED CLB AND MAINTAIN 11000'. AT THAT TIME WE IDENTED A LARGE TSTM BOTH VISUALLY AND WITH WX RADAR. WE REQUESTED TO MAINTAIN VMC BELOW TO CLOUD DECK AND DEVIATE S AROUND THE STORM. CLRED TO DEVIATE AS NECESSARY HOWEVER ATC DID NOT COPY OUR REQUEST TO REMAIN VMC AT 3000' MSL. WE THEN EXPERIENCED LOST COM DUE TO OUR LOW ALT. ANOTHER AIR CARRIER RELAYED OUR INTENTIONS TO ATC. APPROX 5 MINS LATER WE WERE CLR OF THE STORM AND BEGAN TO CLB TO 11000' IN VMC. WE WERE ABLE TO REESTABLISH RADIO CONTACT AND ESTABLISH RADAR CONTACT WELL PRIOR TO ENTERING IMC. WE EXPLAINED THE SITUATION BUT WERE CHASTISED BY ATC FOR NOT CLBING IMMEDIATELY. THE FLT CONTINUED TO PHX W/O FURTHER INCIDENT. IN MY OPINION A CLB INTO IMC WOULD NOT HAVE ALLOWED SAFE NAV AROUND THE STORM AND TERRAIN SEP OFF THE ARWY WOULD NOT BE ASSURED. THE PRIMARY FACTOR OF THIS INCIDENT WAS POOR COM AND RADAR COVERAGE IN THE 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.