Air carrier B727 PIC elects to turn off course to avoid thunderstorms prior to getting approval from ATC. They encounter a TCASII RA and have to climb out of their assigned altitude. Reporter cites frequency congestion as supporting cause.

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Attributes
ACN	368009
Time
Date	199705
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mem
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 33700
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	368009
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance non adherence : required legal separation other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Location: near mem VOR. While flying direct to bkw at FL330, we were approaching mem where a line of thunderstorms extended both north and south of mem. At about 30-40 NM from the WX, I decided to deviation from course to the south, turning from a heading of 070 degrees to about 110 degrees. As we were turning through a heading of 100 degrees and while the copilot was trying to get a word in with the busy ATC controller, we received a RA calling for a climb. I immediately complied with the RA instructions climbing to FL337 before clear of conflict. The controller then told us to turn to a 360 degree heading. We never had visual contact with the other aircraft and do not know exactly his relative position to us as we were in the WX radar mode.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR B727 PIC ELECTS TO TURN OFF COURSE TO AVOID TSTMS PRIOR TO GETTING APPROVAL FROM ATC. THEY ENCOUNTER A TCASII RA AND HAVE TO CLB OUT OF THEIR ASSIGNED ALT. RPTR CITES FREQ CONGESTION AS SUPPORTING CAUSE.

Narrative: LOCATION: NEAR MEM VOR. WHILE FLYING DIRECT TO BKW AT FL330, WE WERE APCHING MEM WHERE A LINE OF TSTMS EXTENDED BOTH N AND S OF MEM. AT ABOUT 30-40 NM FROM THE WX, I DECIDED TO DEV FROM COURSE TO THE S, TURNING FROM A HDG OF 070 DEGS TO ABOUT 110 DEGS. AS WE WERE TURNING THROUGH A HDG OF 100 DEGS AND WHILE THE COPLT WAS TRYING TO GET A WORD IN WITH THE BUSY ATC CTLR, WE RECEIVED A RA CALLING FOR A CLB. I IMMEDIATELY COMPLIED WITH THE RA INSTRUCTIONS CLBING TO FL337 BEFORE CLR OF CONFLICT. THE CTLR THEN TOLD US TO TURN TO A 360 DEG HDG. WE NEVER HAD VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE OTHER ACFT AND DO NOT KNOW EXACTLY HIS RELATIVE POS TO US AS WE WERE IN THE WX RADAR MODE.

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.