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A B757-200 flight crew has difficulty in contacting ZMA controller because of frequency congestion when deviating off course from AR1 that was saturated with thunderstorm activity near heatt intersection, fl.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 481439 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200008 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | intersection : heatt |
| State Reference | FL |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Weather Elements | Thunderstorm |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zma.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B757-200 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : ar1.airway |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| ASRS Report | 481439 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | airspace violation : exit inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
While sbound on AR1, approaching heatt intersection, made multiple attempts to contact ZMA to get a deviation approved around maximum intensity steep gradient cells over heatt intersection. All other aircraft on this route were deviating and the frequency was very congested. After about 5 mins of trying to get through to center, we initiated a turn to the east in order to avoid the cells. I continued trying to get a response from center until about 6 mi east of the airway when I declared an emergency, in order to get his attention, before a traffic conflict could occur. Center responded and approved the deviation at that time.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A B757-200 FLC HAS DIFFICULTY IN CONTACTING ZMA CTLR BECAUSE OF FREQ CONGESTION WHEN DEVIATING OFF COURSE FROM AR1 THAT WAS SATURATED WITH TSTM ACTIVITY NEAR HEATT INTXN, FL.
Narrative: WHILE SBOUND ON AR1, APCHING HEATT INTXN, MADE MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT ZMA TO GET A DEV APPROVED AROUND MAX INTENSITY STEEP GRADIENT CELLS OVER HEATT INTXN. ALL OTHER ACFT ON THIS RTE WERE DEVIATING AND THE FREQ WAS VERY CONGESTED. AFTER ABOUT 5 MINS OF TRYING TO GET THROUGH TO CTR, WE INITIATED A TURN TO THE E IN ORDER TO AVOID THE CELLS. I CONTINUED TRYING TO GET A RESPONSE FROM CTR UNTIL ABOUT 6 MI E OF THE AIRWAY WHEN I DECLARED AN EMER, IN ORDER TO GET HIS ATTN, BEFORE A TFC CONFLICT COULD OCCUR. CTR RESPONDED AND APPROVED THE DEV AT THAT TIME.
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.