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All cargo B727-100 flight crew turned in the opposite direction to that instructed by approach controller to avoid thunderstorms and was unable to notify ATC due to frequency congestion.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 515037 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200106 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : vkz.vor |
| State Reference | FL |
| Altitude | msl single value : 25000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Weather Elements | Thunderstorm |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zma.artcc tower : den.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B727-100 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 600 |
| ASRS Report | 515037 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued alert none taken : unable none taken : insufficient time other |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Weather ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Weather |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
While on vector to intercept arrival, encountered thunderstorm ahead of aircraft. Requested deviation left or right. Radio congestion was very heavy. Center gave left turn, but by then only a right turn was safe. A right approximately 90 degree turn was initiated, but due to very heavy radio congestion, was unable to advise center of right turn. After about 2 mins, we were finally able to advise center. Of course, they queried us why we turned in the opposite direction. We were not aware of any traffic alerts or incidents resulting from this. I feel the root cause of this problem was due to extreme radio congestion on ZMA's frequency 119.82 MHZ, and not being able to communicate to/with them in a timely manner.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ALL CARGO B727-100 FLC TURNED IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION TO THAT INSTRUCTED BY APCH CTLR TO AVOID TSTMS AND WAS UNABLE TO NOTIFY ATC DUE TO FREQ CONGESTION.
Narrative: WHILE ON VECTOR TO INTERCEPT ARR, ENCOUNTERED TSTM AHEAD OF ACFT. REQUESTED DEV L OR R. RADIO CONGESTION WAS VERY HVY. CTR GAVE L TURN, BUT BY THEN ONLY A R TURN WAS SAFE. A R APPROX 90 DEG TURN WAS INITIATED, BUT DUE TO VERY HVY RADIO CONGESTION, WAS UNABLE TO ADVISE CTR OF R TURN. AFTER ABOUT 2 MINS, WE WERE FINALLY ABLE TO ADVISE CTR. OF COURSE, THEY QUERIED US WHY WE TURNED IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. WE WERE NOT AWARE OF ANY TFC ALERTS OR INCIDENTS RESULTING FROM THIS. I FEEL THE ROOT CAUSE OF THIS PROB WAS DUE TO EXTREME RADIO CONGESTION ON ZMA'S FREQ 119.82 MHZ, AND NOT BEING ABLE TO COMMUNICATE TO/WITH THEM IN A TIMELY MANNER.
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.