Air carrier crew deviates for hazardous WX without clearance due to frequency congestion,.

Attributes
ACN	408383
Time
Date	199807
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zzz
State Reference	MS
Altitude	msl bound lower : 26000 msl bound upper : 26000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme
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
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	408383
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

Just before crew was about to ask for a WX deviation, we were handed off to a different controller frequency. The new one was so jammed, we were unable to make any contact, and all aircraft could only listen to the controller's instructions, not talk back. After 10 mins, I switched back to the old frequency and explained that we could not make contact, but needed to turn right due to a thunderstorm in front of us. The response, 'I don't know what to tell you. That's his sector, you will just have to keep trying.' I switched back but was unable to make contact. I changed our squawk to 7700 and we started to turn right in VMC. As I was preparing to declare an emergency due to the thunderstorm, there was finally a break on the frequency and we were able to express our need to turn.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR CREW DEVIATES FOR HAZARDOUS WX WITHOUT CLRNC DUE TO FREQ CONGESTION,.

Narrative: JUST BEFORE CREW WAS ABOUT TO ASK FOR A WX DEV, WE WERE HANDED OFF TO A DIFFERENT CTLR FREQ. THE NEW ONE WAS SO JAMMED, WE WERE UNABLE TO MAKE ANY CONTACT, AND ALL ACFT COULD ONLY LISTEN TO THE CTLR'S INSTRUCTIONS, NOT TALK BACK. AFTER 10 MINS, I SWITCHED BACK TO THE OLD FREQ AND EXPLAINED THAT WE COULD NOT MAKE CONTACT, BUT NEEDED TO TURN R DUE TO A TSTM IN FRONT OF US. THE RESPONSE, 'I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO TELL YOU. THAT'S HIS SECTOR, YOU WILL JUST HAVE TO KEEP TRYING.' I SWITCHED BACK BUT WAS UNABLE TO MAKE CONTACT. I CHANGED OUR SQUAWK TO 7700 AND WE STARTED TO TURN R IN VMC. AS I WAS PREPARING TO DECLARE AN EMER DUE TO THE TSTM, THERE WAS FINALLY A BREAK ON THE FREQ AND WE WERE ABLE TO EXPRESS OUR NEED TO TURN.

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.