Narrative:

While operating as air carrier X on oct/thu/95 the following occurred. A thunderstorm had recently passed over the laramie station and was proceeding sebound towards our IFR filed departure direction. We took off VFR on runway 21 and departed the area to the southeast. As PNF it was my duty to work the radios. Approximately 5 mi e-se of laramie I received our IFR clearance to proceed on course (V-575, ramms intersection for the ramms 1 STAR) and to climb and maintain FL190. I accepted and read back the clearance. The captain informed me that due to a thunderstorm above and directly in our accepted clearance flight path that he would remain low. I agreed to this but failed to notify ATC of our intentions. 10 mi later ATC queried us as to our position. I told them we were at 10000 ft and diverting due to WX. ZDV responded excitedly that he had A-6 traffic south of us, and to expedite through 13000 ft. The captain told me he had the call and responded. He told ATC we were not diverting, rather turning on course. We then expedited our climb and no further sits occurred. We found ourselves in this situation for the following reasons. Failure of the crew to immediately notify ATC of our intentions to remain 'low' and not climb on course. Failure of the crew to discuss in detail why an alternate altitude had been chosen in light of accepting a clearance for higher. Differing opinions among the crew as to why we were at a lower altitude. The situation could have been easily avoided had we notified ATC immediately of our intentions to divert from a clearance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF AN LTT FAILED TO CLB TO ASSIGNED ALT OR FOLLOW THE CLRNC TRACK AFTER DEP DUE TO WX IN THE CLRNC PATH.

Narrative: WHILE OPERATING AS ACR X ON OCT/THU/95 THE FOLLOWING OCCURRED. A TSTM HAD RECENTLY PASSED OVER THE LARAMIE STATION AND WAS PROCEEDING SEBOUND TOWARDS OUR IFR FILED DEP DIRECTION. WE TOOK OFF VFR ON RWY 21 AND DEPARTED THE AREA TO THE SE. AS PNF IT WAS MY DUTY TO WORK THE RADIOS. APPROX 5 MI E-SE OF LARAMIE I RECEIVED OUR IFR CLRNC TO PROCEED ON COURSE (V-575, RAMMS INTXN FOR THE RAMMS 1 STAR) AND TO CLB AND MAINTAIN FL190. I ACCEPTED AND READ BACK THE CLRNC. THE CAPT INFORMED ME THAT DUE TO A TSTM ABOVE AND DIRECTLY IN OUR ACCEPTED CLRNC FLT PATH THAT HE WOULD REMAIN LOW. I AGREED TO THIS BUT FAILED TO NOTIFY ATC OF OUR INTENTIONS. 10 MI LATER ATC QUERIED US AS TO OUR POS. I TOLD THEM WE WERE AT 10000 FT AND DIVERTING DUE TO WX. ZDV RESPONDED EXCITEDLY THAT HE HAD A-6 TFC S OF US, AND TO EXPEDITE THROUGH 13000 FT. THE CAPT TOLD ME HE HAD THE CALL AND RESPONDED. HE TOLD ATC WE WERE NOT DIVERTING, RATHER TURNING ON COURSE. WE THEN EXPEDITED OUR CLB AND NO FURTHER SITS OCCURRED. WE FOUND OURSELVES IN THIS SIT FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS. FAILURE OF THE CREW TO IMMEDIATELY NOTIFY ATC OF OUR INTENTIONS TO REMAIN 'LOW' AND NOT CLB ON COURSE. FAILURE OF THE CREW TO DISCUSS IN DETAIL WHY AN ALTERNATE ALT HAD BEEN CHOSEN IN LIGHT OF ACCEPTING A CLRNC FOR HIGHER. DIFFERING OPINIONS AMONG THE CREW AS TO WHY WE WERE AT A LOWER ALT. THE SIT COULD HAVE BEEN EASILY AVOIDED HAD WE NOTIFIED ATC IMMEDIATELY OF OUR INTENTIONS TO DIVERT FROM A CLRNC.

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.