A B727 flight suffering from VHF static interference, deviates past the limit set by ATC and is aske...

Attributes
ACN	518874
Time
Date	200107
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : ilm.vortac
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl single value : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zjx.artcc artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	Other
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	518874
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	518875
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : exited adverse environment none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 60000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Weather Airspace Structure
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Location: south of ilm, en route. During flight from mia to rdu and cruising at FL330, ATC (ZJX 134.85) gave the flight a clearance to 40 mi south of ilm (147.0) at FL290. Since we were IMC at FL330, I elected to descend earlier to FL290. Then observed visually, and on WX radar, a squall line or a solid wall of thunderstorms extending from south of chs (113.5) to north of ilm along the coast. There was a major cell along our path at 12 O'clock and I requested to deviation east of course. ZJX advised that no further east than AR7 was approved for now and to contact ZDC on 118.47. I advised ZDC that further east deviation was extremely necessary for an extra 40 mi and could not deviation west because of line of thunderstorms. ZDC approved. Re-entered IMC and began experiencing moderate to severe icing condition. Wing/engine anti-icing were on. The radios became extremely static and could not hear/read ATC. Attempted on several occasions to contact same to no avail. Noticed traffic alert on TCASII and observed necessary separation. Never closer than 10 mi. Another aircraft on one occasion was heard by us relating the request that ZDC wanted us to squawk 7700. Continued flight deviation as necessary from WX for safety of flight reasons. As soon as I was able to clearly hear ZDC's xmissions, communicated a detailed update. ZDC then advised to change squawk code and proceed direct to blade intersection on STAR when able. We exchanged farewells, thanked each other for the assistance rendered by each other, and changed frequency to rdu approach control. No further actions were noted or taken. Supplemental information from acn 518875: we contacted ZDC and let them know further deviations were needed for an extra 40 mi. At this point we were again IMC and, due to the high moisture content of the air, center became unreadable due to static.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727 FLT SUFFERING FROM VHF STATIC INTERFERENCE, DEVIATES PAST THE LIMIT SET BY ATC AND IS ASKED TO SET 7700 SQUAWK, VIA ANOTHER ACFT, FOR A POSSIBLE TFC CONFLICT DURING TSTM ACTIVITY DETOURING S OF ILM, DE.

Narrative: LOCATION: S OF ILM, ENRTE. DURING FLT FROM MIA TO RDU AND CRUISING AT FL330, ATC (ZJX 134.85) GAVE THE FLT A CLRNC TO 40 MI S OF ILM (147.0) AT FL290. SINCE WE WERE IMC AT FL330, I ELECTED TO DSND EARLIER TO FL290. THEN OBSERVED VISUALLY, AND ON WX RADAR, A SQUALL LINE OR A SOLID WALL OF TSTMS EXTENDING FROM S OF CHS (113.5) TO N OF ILM ALONG THE COAST. THERE WAS A MAJOR CELL ALONG OUR PATH AT 12 O'CLOCK AND I REQUESTED TO DEV E OF COURSE. ZJX ADVISED THAT NO FURTHER E THAN AR7 WAS APPROVED FOR NOW AND TO CONTACT ZDC ON 118.47. I ADVISED ZDC THAT FURTHER E DEV WAS EXTREMELY NECESSARY FOR AN EXTRA 40 MI AND COULD NOT DEV W BECAUSE OF LINE OF TSTMS. ZDC APPROVED. RE-ENTERED IMC AND BEGAN EXPERIENCING MODERATE TO SEVERE ICING CONDITION. WING/ENG ANTI-ICING WERE ON. THE RADIOS BECAME EXTREMELY STATIC AND COULD NOT HEAR/READ ATC. ATTEMPTED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS TO CONTACT SAME TO NO AVAIL. NOTICED TFC ALERT ON TCASII AND OBSERVED NECESSARY SEPARATION. NEVER CLOSER THAN 10 MI. ANOTHER ACFT ON ONE OCCASION WAS HEARD BY US RELATING THE REQUEST THAT ZDC WANTED US TO SQUAWK 7700. CONTINUED FLT DEV AS NECESSARY FROM WX FOR SAFETY OF FLT REASONS. AS SOON AS I WAS ABLE TO CLRLY HEAR ZDC'S XMISSIONS, COMMUNICATED A DETAILED UPDATE. ZDC THEN ADVISED TO CHANGE SQUAWK CODE AND PROCEED DIRECT TO BLADE INTXN ON STAR WHEN ABLE. WE EXCHANGED FAREWELLS, THANKED EACH OTHER FOR THE ASSISTANCE RENDERED BY EACH OTHER, AND CHANGED FREQ TO RDU APCH CTL. NO FURTHER ACTIONS WERE NOTED OR TAKEN. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 518875: WE CONTACTED ZDC AND LET THEM KNOW FURTHER DEVS WERE NEEDED FOR AN EXTRA 40 MI. AT THIS POINT WE WERE AGAIN IMC AND, DUE TO THE HIGH MOISTURE CONTENT OF THE AIR, CTR BECAME UNREADABLE DUE TO STATIC.

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.

A B727 flight suffering from VHF static interference, deviates past the limit set by ATC and is asked to set 7700 squawk, via another aircraft, for a possible traffic conflict during thunderstorm activity detouring south of ilm, de.