<< >> NASA ASRS Report 511836, May 2001

The PIC of S80 fails to coordination with iad approach controller when making a slight deviation south for a cloud buildup west of aml, va.

Attributes
ACN	511836
Time
Date	200105
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : aml.vortac
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 13000
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : iad.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : iad.tracon
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	511836
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : separated traffic controller : issued new clearance controller : issued advisory flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 42000 vertical : 1700
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Airspace Structure ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Cleared direct aml VOR descending through 13000 ft for 8000 ft. I started what I considered a very minor deviation south of course approximately 1/2 mi to get around a singular convective buildup which would have been rather uncomfortable to penetrate. As I was turning back on course to aml VOR, the controller called to verify our course to aml and we indicated we were turning back on course after a minor turn for WX. The controller proceeded to admonish us for not informing him and aid we had turned directly into an opposite direction aircraft and then gave us a 90 degree left turn to the north. Our TCASII never showed a conflict though the closest target I saw was 7 mi south and 1700 ft below us. Nothing in the controller's comments indicated he intended to file a near miss or report on this conflict. However, the lesson for me is that deviations in the terminal environment are best always passed onto the ATC facility as the margins for error are much tighter than at altitude.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE PIC OF S80 FAILS TO COORD WITH IAD APCH CTLR WHEN MAKING A SLIGHT DEV S FOR A CLOUD BUILDUP W OF AML, VA.

Narrative: CLRED DIRECT AML VOR DSNDING THROUGH 13000 FT FOR 8000 FT. I STARTED WHAT I CONSIDERED A VERY MINOR DEV S OF COURSE APPROX 1/2 MI TO GET AROUND A SINGULAR CONVECTIVE BUILDUP WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN RATHER UNCOMFORTABLE TO PENETRATE. AS I WAS TURNING BACK ON COURSE TO AML VOR, THE CTLR CALLED TO VERIFY OUR COURSE TO AML AND WE INDICATED WE WERE TURNING BACK ON COURSE AFTER A MINOR TURN FOR WX. THE CTLR PROCEEDED TO ADMONISH US FOR NOT INFORMING HIM AND AID WE HAD TURNED DIRECTLY INTO AN OPPOSITE DIRECTION ACFT AND THEN GAVE US A 90 DEG L TURN TO THE N. OUR TCASII NEVER SHOWED A CONFLICT THOUGH THE CLOSEST TARGET I SAW WAS 7 MI S AND 1700 FT BELOW US. NOTHING IN THE CTLR'S COMMENTS INDICATED HE INTENDED TO FILE A NEAR MISS OR RPT ON THIS CONFLICT. HOWEVER, THE LESSON FOR ME IS THAT DEVS IN THE TERMINAL ENVIRONMENT ARE BEST ALWAYS PASSED ONTO THE ATC FACILITY AS THE MARGINS FOR ERROR ARE MUCH TIGHTER THAN AT ALT.

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.