Narrative:

Our flight was bound for traverse city, mi (tvc) from detroit. There was a line of thunderstorms which extended from just over tvc airport southwest in a line down through oklahoma. We decided to deviate around the line to the north. We made the deviation decision just south of houghton lake on V133. We took basically a 360 degree heading and due to strong northwest winds, were blown further east. Our clearance was present position direct to glr, charlevoix, then tvc. At approximately crayling, mi, ATC advised us of R-4201 an active surface to FL230. The storms continued to push east and as we neared the west edge of R-4201A, the captain made the decision to turn around. I wanted to make a left turn towards the WX, but he told me to turn right and we penetrated R-4201A. I felt the heaviest precipitation was still 3-5 mi away, but due to the fact that we had a company check airman in the jump seat, and due to the captain's short time in the left seat, I believe a rushed decision was made. The lightning, turbulence, and ice were factors which probably affected the irrational decision. Also, the captain was out of the communication loop because he was communicating with our company dispatch concerning the WX while I was flying and communicating with ATC. Once the captain got off the radio with dispatch, we decided to divert to pellston, mi. We advised ATC of the deviation and proceeded to pln.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RESTR AREA ENTERED WHILE AVOIDING HAZARDOUS WX.

Narrative: OUR FLT WAS BOUND FOR TRAVERSE CITY, MI (TVC) FROM DETROIT. THERE WAS A LINE OF TSTMS WHICH EXTENDED FROM JUST OVER TVC ARPT SW IN A LINE DOWN THROUGH OKLAHOMA. WE DECIDED TO DEVIATE AROUND THE LINE TO THE N. WE MADE THE DEV DECISION JUST S OF HOUGHTON LAKE ON V133. WE TOOK BASICALLY A 360 DEG HDG AND DUE TO STRONG NW WINDS, WERE BLOWN FURTHER E. OUR CLRNC WAS PRESENT POS DIRECT TO GLR, CHARLEVOIX, THEN TVC. AT APPROX CRAYLING, MI, ATC ADVISED US OF R-4201 AN ACTIVE SURFACE TO FL230. THE STORMS CONTINUED TO PUSH E AND AS WE NEARED THE W EDGE OF R-4201A, THE CAPT MADE THE DECISION TO TURN AROUND. I WANTED TO MAKE A L TURN TOWARDS THE WX, BUT HE TOLD ME TO TURN R AND WE PENETRATED R-4201A. I FELT THE HEAVIEST PRECIPITATION WAS STILL 3-5 MI AWAY, BUT DUE TO THE FACT THAT WE HAD A COMPANY CHK AIRMAN IN THE JUMP SEAT, AND DUE TO THE CAPT'S SHORT TIME IN THE L SEAT, I BELIEVE A RUSHED DECISION WAS MADE. THE LIGHTNING, TURB, AND ICE WERE FACTORS WHICH PROBABLY AFFECTED THE IRRATIONAL DECISION. ALSO, THE CAPT WAS OUT OF THE COM LOOP BECAUSE HE WAS COMMUNICATING WITH OUR COMPANY DISPATCH CONCERNING THE WX WHILE I WAS FLYING AND COMMUNICATING WITH ATC. ONCE THE CAPT GOT OFF THE RADIO WITH DISPATCH, WE DECIDED TO DIVERT TO PELLSTON, MI. WE ADVISED ATC OF THE DEV AND PROCEEDED TO PLN.

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.