Unauthorized penetration of airspace warning area.

Attributes
ACN	311929
Time
Date	199507
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pfn
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 16000 msl bound upper : 16000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zjx tower : stl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	311929
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were in cruise flight from tampa, fl, to pensacola, fl, and an area of severe thunderstorms was building ahead and to the right of our flight path. We picked our way through some small gaps and we were deviating to the west of our flight path. The center controller told us to turn to the east, or we were going to enter a warning area over the gulf of mexico. If we turned east, we would have penetrated a level 4/5 thunderstorm, and the line of storms we had just come through had some moderate to severe turbulence. We elected to proceed straight ahead. The controller said we were entering the warning area, squawk 7700. We said we were not declaring an emergency. He told us to squawk 7700 anyway, we did, proceeded, and came to the east as WX permitted.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTH PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE WARNING AREA.

Narrative: WE WERE IN CRUISE FLT FROM TAMPA, FL, TO PENSACOLA, FL, AND AN AREA OF SEVERE TSTMS WAS BUILDING AHEAD AND TO THE R OF OUR FLT PATH. WE PICKED OUR WAY THROUGH SOME SMALL GAPS AND WE WERE DEVIATING TO THE W OF OUR FLT PATH. THE CTR CTLR TOLD US TO TURN TO THE E, OR WE WERE GOING TO ENTER A WARNING AREA OVER THE GULF OF MEXICO. IF WE TURNED E, WE WOULD HAVE PENETRATED A LEVEL 4/5 TSTM, AND THE LINE OF STORMS WE HAD JUST COME THROUGH HAD SOME MODERATE TO SEVERE TURB. WE ELECTED TO PROCEED STRAIGHT AHEAD. THE CTLR SAID WE WERE ENTERING THE WARNING AREA, SQUAWK 7700. WE SAID WE WERE NOT DECLARING AN EMER. HE TOLD US TO SQUAWK 7700 ANYWAY, WE DID, PROCEEDED, AND CAME TO THE E AS WX PERMITTED.

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.