Large transport has trouble avoiding thunderstorms due to ARTCC radar controller workload.

Attributes
ACN	233427
Time
Date	199302
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sav
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 29000 msl bound upper : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zjx
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : j121
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 190 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 4500
ASRS Report	233427
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

There were thunderstorms between chs and sav on J121. ZJX was unable to give us an altitude change from our FL290 to requested FL310. Due to very heavy radio congestion, we were unable to get our request for a turn to avoid the thunderstorm, our xmissions were blocked. It was necessary to turn right (east). ZJX told us there was a warning area, and not to go east. Shortly thereafter the ZJX controller told us to fly present heading (deviating to east) when able, fly heading 360 degrees to join J79 north of chs. Questions: was warning area hot? Was controller workload too heavy? What actions are correct to avoid thunderstorms? Is it necessary to declare an emergency if xmissions are blocked, before turning to avoid WX?

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT HAS TROUBLE AVOIDING TSTMS DUE TO ARTCC RADAR CTLR WORKLOAD.

Narrative: THERE WERE TSTMS BTWN CHS AND SAV ON J121. ZJX WAS UNABLE TO GIVE US AN ALT CHANGE FROM OUR FL290 TO REQUESTED FL310. DUE TO VERY HVY RADIO CONGESTION, WE WERE UNABLE TO GET OUR REQUEST FOR A TURN TO AVOID THE TSTM, OUR XMISSIONS WERE BLOCKED. IT WAS NECESSARY TO TURN R (E). ZJX TOLD US THERE WAS A WARNING AREA, AND NOT TO GO E. SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE ZJX CTLR TOLD US TO FLY PRESENT HDG (DEVIATING TO E) WHEN ABLE, FLY HDG 360 DEGS TO JOIN J79 N OF CHS. QUESTIONS: WAS WARNING AREA HOT? WAS CTLR WORKLOAD TOO HVY? WHAT ACTIONS ARE CORRECT TO AVOID TSTMS? IS IT NECESSARY TO DECLARE AN EMER IF XMISSIONS ARE BLOCKED, BEFORE TURNING TO AVOID 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.