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B757 captain declares an emergency to avoid weather on departure as ATC will not approve a turn without this declaration.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 747008 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200707 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | msl single value : 6000 |
| Environment | |
| Weather Elements | Thunderstorm |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : zzz.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B757-200 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| ASRS Report | 747008 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : radar other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure ATC Human Performance Weather |
| Primary Problem | Weather |
Narrative:
Took position on runway. The WX radar was showing a large cluster of red radar returns several mi past the departure end of the runway. We were given a heading of 185 degrees for WX and cleared for takeoff. Checked in with departure control and advised them we will need a turn shortly to the west for WX. They said unable at the present time due to traffic. By now we were getting seriously close to a wall of solid red thunderstorm returns in our immediate path; painting from the ssw through to the east and extending well above us. I informed departure control that I needed a turn to the west in a mi and if needed; will declare an emergency and then turn west. ATC queried: 'are you declaring an emergency?' I said yes; I refuse to fly through a thunderstorm. ATC then said advise passenger onboard. I gave them that information as I directed the copilot to turn west to avoid the large convective cells. Proceeded to destination without further issues.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B757 CAPTAIN DECLARES AN EMERGENCY TO AVOID WEATHER ON DEPARTURE AS ATC WILL NOT APPROVE A TURN WITHOUT THIS DECLARATION.
Narrative: TOOK POS ON RWY. THE WX RADAR WAS SHOWING A LARGE CLUSTER OF RED RADAR RETURNS SEVERAL MI PAST THE DEP END OF THE RWY. WE WERE GIVEN A HDG OF 185 DEGS FOR WX AND CLRED FOR TKOF. CHKED IN WITH DEP CTL AND ADVISED THEM WE WILL NEED A TURN SHORTLY TO THE W FOR WX. THEY SAID UNABLE AT THE PRESENT TIME DUE TO TFC. BY NOW WE WERE GETTING SERIOUSLY CLOSE TO A WALL OF SOLID RED TSTM RETURNS IN OUR IMMEDIATE PATH; PAINTING FROM THE SSW THROUGH TO THE E AND EXTENDING WELL ABOVE US. I INFORMED DEP CTL THAT I NEEDED A TURN TO THE W IN A MI AND IF NEEDED; WILL DECLARE AN EMER AND THEN TURN W. ATC QUERIED: 'ARE YOU DECLARING AN EMER?' I SAID YES; I REFUSE TO FLY THROUGH A TSTM. ATC THEN SAID ADVISE PAX ONBOARD. I GAVE THEM THAT INFO AS I DIRECTED THE COPLT TO TURN W TO AVOID THE LARGE CONVECTIVE CELLS. PROCEEDED TO DEST WITHOUT FURTHER ISSUES.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.