B737 crew on flight from sal to mia requested a deviation around a very large thunderstorm. They wer...

Attributes
ACN	558710
Time
Date	200208
Day	Sat
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : czm.vortac
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl single value : 33000
Environment
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : other oceanic
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : other oceanic
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	558710
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : wx radar other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

At initial handoff from cenamer control to merida center around satos intersection, I was painting a massive thunderstorm about 50 mi in diameter and tops around 40000 ft. I requested deviation from merida center around thunderstorm located a few mi west of czm VOR. I also requested to fly direct nukan intersection to stay clear of all WX. Merida informed me that there was not a thunderstorm at czm and that I had to remain on course. I told merida that I could see the thunderstorm over czm and when I reached about 50 mi south of czm I would have to deviation. About 15 mins later I was 50 mi south of czm and again requested a heading of 050 degrees for deviation around thunderstorm. Merida center responded that there was not a thunderstorm at czm and said that all I wanted to do was to go direct to nukan. I told him that if he did not give the heading to avoid this thunderstorm then he would force me to declare an emergency. Also, air carrier Y and air carrier Z were in the same location, heard the radio conversations, and also deviated around the same WX system. Merida did not realize that the thunderstorm had a massive anvil blowing off the top of the thunderstorm which extended east of czm VOR. I have a copy of the satellite image which clearly shows this massive storm.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CREW ON FLT FROM SAL TO MIA REQUESTED A DEV AROUND A VERY LARGE TSTM. THEY WERE TOLD BY THE CTLR THERE WAS NO WX IN THAT LOCATION AND THAT ALL THE PLT WANTED TO DO IS GO DIRECT HIS DEST.

Narrative: AT INITIAL HDOF FROM CENAMER CTL TO MERIDA CTR AROUND SATOS INTXN, I WAS PAINTING A MASSIVE TSTM ABOUT 50 MI IN DIAMETER AND TOPS AROUND 40000 FT. I REQUESTED DEV FROM MERIDA CTR AROUND TSTM LOCATED A FEW MI W OF CZM VOR. I ALSO REQUESTED TO FLY DIRECT NUKAN INTXN TO STAY CLR OF ALL WX. MERIDA INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS NOT A TSTM AT CZM AND THAT I HAD TO REMAIN ON COURSE. I TOLD MERIDA THAT I COULD SEE THE TSTM OVER CZM AND WHEN I REACHED ABOUT 50 MI S OF CZM I WOULD HAVE TO DEV. ABOUT 15 MINS LATER I WAS 50 MI S OF CZM AND AGAIN REQUESTED A HDG OF 050 DEGS FOR DEV AROUND TSTM. MERIDA CTR RESPONDED THAT THERE WAS NOT A TSTM AT CZM AND SAID THAT ALL I WANTED TO DO WAS TO GO DIRECT TO NUKAN. I TOLD HIM THAT IF HE DID NOT GIVE THE HDG TO AVOID THIS TSTM THEN HE WOULD FORCE ME TO DECLARE AN EMER. ALSO, ACR Y AND ACR Z WERE IN THE SAME LOCATION, HEARD THE RADIO CONVERSATIONS, AND ALSO DEVIATED AROUND THE SAME WX SYS. MERIDA DID NOT REALIZE THAT THE TSTM HAD A MASSIVE ANVIL BLOWING OFF THE TOP OF THE TSTM WHICH EXTENDED E OF CZM VOR. I HAVE A COPY OF THE SATELLITE IMAGE WHICH CLRLY SHOWS THIS MASSIVE STORM.

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.

B737 crew on flight from sal to mia requested a deviation around a very large thunderstorm. They were told by the controller there was no WX in that location and that all the pilot wanted to do is go direct his destination.