Narrative:

Declaration of emergency, deviation around WX. I was relief pilot on trip and was in back of the aircraft. When I returned to the cockpit, the captain informed me of the following. At XX49Z while established on track D, the captain and first officer observed substantial WX in our path. The thunderstorms were estimated to top out at FL330, we were flying at FL310. The captain requested a higher altitude from gander radio and was denied due to conflicting traffic. The captain then requested a deviation off of track D to the north. Again, the request was denied and he was directed to deviation south of course. A southerly deviation would have put the aircraft into the heart of the thunderstorm, and the captain elected to declare an emergency and deviate north of course. The approximately deviation off course was 6-8 NM. As I re-entered the cockpit after my break, the captain and first officer were in the process of rejoining the published track D. Gander had also cleared us to FL320 by this time, and the aircraft was leveling at the newly assigned flight level. The dispatch desk was notified at YY55 of the situation via satcom. Dispatch later indicated that they had contacted gander and that gander considered the matter closed with no further action on anyone's part.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD11 CREW HAD TO EXERCISE EMER AUTH TO AVOID CONVECTIVE WX ON THEIR ASSIGNED TRACK.

Narrative: DECLARATION OF EMER, DEV AROUND WX. I WAS RELIEF PLT ON TRIP AND WAS IN BACK OF THE ACFT. WHEN I RETURNED TO THE COCKPIT, THE CAPT INFORMED ME OF THE FOLLOWING. AT XX49Z WHILE ESTABLISHED ON TRACK D, THE CAPT AND FO OBSERVED SUBSTANTIAL WX IN OUR PATH. THE TSTMS WERE ESTIMATED TO TOP OUT AT FL330, WE WERE FLYING AT FL310. THE CAPT REQUESTED A HIGHER ALT FROM GANDER RADIO AND WAS DENIED DUE TO CONFLICTING TFC. THE CAPT THEN REQUESTED A DEV OFF OF TRACK D TO THE N. AGAIN, THE REQUEST WAS DENIED AND HE WAS DIRECTED TO DEV S OF COURSE. A SOUTHERLY DEV WOULD HAVE PUT THE ACFT INTO THE HEART OF THE TSTM, AND THE CAPT ELECTED TO DECLARE AN EMER AND DEVIATE N OF COURSE. THE APPROX DEV OFF COURSE WAS 6-8 NM. AS I RE-ENTERED THE COCKPIT AFTER MY BREAK, THE CAPT AND FO WERE IN THE PROCESS OF REJOINING THE PUBLISHED TRACK D. GANDER HAD ALSO CLRED US TO FL320 BY THIS TIME, AND THE ACFT WAS LEVELING AT THE NEWLY ASSIGNED FLT LEVEL. THE DISPATCH DESK WAS NOTIFIED AT YY55 OF THE SIT VIA SATCOM. DISPATCH LATER INDICATED THAT THEY HAD CONTACTED GANDER AND THAT GANDER CONSIDERED THE MATTER CLOSED WITH NO FURTHER ACTION ON ANYONE'S PART.

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.