Narrative:

IFR flight plan from tucson to el paso, tx. Considerable convective activity was en route. I had been receiving permission from center to deviation left and right of course to avoid the heavy WX. I was an estimated 30 mi west of the el paso VOR. Shortly earlier on same route (V-16), I had requested deviation to the left of course. Other flight had been receiving deviations on the same side up to 50 mi. Center then informed me I was in mexican airspace and move back to the centerline. The V-16 appears to be less than 1-2 mi from mexico. I was no further than 3-4 mi from the centerline (south of V-16 at any point) and understood I had clearance to be even further south. I moved back until center told me I was in united states airspace. The reason I was to the left (as other planes) was that there was heavy rain and thunderstorm near the centerline of V-16 at several points including at the approximately point center complained (north of V-16 the precipitation was heavier). I will make multiple inquiries as to the clearance in the future. I also will check the FARS (I understood I was within the V-16 boundaries). Further, looking down, it appeared I was over a highway on the united states side. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter says that he probably was slightly below the border, but ATC was more concerned with him than they were about air carrier aircraft that were many mi to the south. The reporter has an instrument rating but failed to list it on the ASRS form. The FAA has not contacted him regarding his flight south of the border.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA PLT DEVIATED S OF THE MEXICAN BORDER TO AVOID TSTMS.

Narrative: IFR FLT PLAN FROM TUCSON TO EL PASO, TX. CONSIDERABLE CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY WAS ENRTE. I HAD BEEN RECEIVING PERMISSION FROM CTR TO DEV L AND R OF COURSE TO AVOID THE HVY WX. I WAS AN ESTIMATED 30 MI W OF THE EL PASO VOR. SHORTLY EARLIER ON SAME RTE (V-16), I HAD REQUESTED DEV TO THE L OF COURSE. OTHER FLT HAD BEEN RECEIVING DEVS ON THE SAME SIDE UP TO 50 MI. CTR THEN INFORMED ME I WAS IN MEXICAN AIRSPACE AND MOVE BACK TO THE CTRLINE. THE V-16 APPEARS TO BE LESS THAN 1-2 MI FROM MEXICO. I WAS NO FURTHER THAN 3-4 MI FROM THE CTRLINE (S OF V-16 AT ANY POINT) AND UNDERSTOOD I HAD CLRNC TO BE EVEN FURTHER S. I MOVED BACK UNTIL CTR TOLD ME I WAS IN UNITED STATES AIRSPACE. THE REASON I WAS TO THE L (AS OTHER PLANES) WAS THAT THERE WAS HVY RAIN AND TSTM NEAR THE CTRLINE OF V-16 AT SEVERAL POINTS INCLUDING AT THE APPROX POINT CTR COMPLAINED (N OF V-16 THE PRECIPITATION WAS HEAVIER). I WILL MAKE MULTIPLE INQUIRIES AS TO THE CLRNC IN THE FUTURE. I ALSO WILL CHK THE FARS (I UNDERSTOOD I WAS WITHIN THE V-16 BOUNDARIES). FURTHER, LOOKING DOWN, IT APPEARED I WAS OVER A HWY ON THE UNITED STATES SIDE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR SAYS THAT HE PROBABLY WAS SLIGHTLY BELOW THE BORDER, BUT ATC WAS MORE CONCERNED WITH HIM THAN THEY WERE ABOUT ACR ACFT THAT WERE MANY MI TO THE S. THE RPTR HAS AN INST RATING BUT FAILED TO LIST IT ON THE ASRS FORM. THE FAA HAS NOT CONTACTED HIM REGARDING HIS FLT S OF THE BORDER.

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.