Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 155; Flight Crew Type 155
Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Environment - Non Weather Related; Procedure; Weather
We were descending into TPA on the FOOXX4 STAR; approaching waypoint TABIR; through FL180 to 15;000 FT. WX radar was showing high-intensity (red) returns associated with a line of weather across our flight path a few miles past TABIR. We made repeated attempts to call ATC for a 30 degree left of course deviation starting about 35 miles from the severe precipitation. The frequency was overloaded with too many aircraft all attempting to request deviations and altitude changes. Aircraft and the Controller kept blocking each other's radio transmissions. At points; the Controller became completely unresponsive when someone would succeed in transmitting a request. We successfully transmitted our course deviation request multiple times with no response. When we came within 10 miles of the severe weather we initiated an eastbound turn off course (we turned about 80 degrees off course since we were so close to the severe weather at this point). We continued to advise ATC of our actions with no response.  At this point multiple aircraft were self-vectoring around the severe weather; and the Controller had completely lost the picture and was minimally responsive. We self-initiated multiple heading changes to work around the weather and back toward our cleared course over the next several minutes with a close eye on the TCAS display and advising ATC the entire time. Finally; we ended up at a point approximately 20 miles NE of GUSNE intersection with an approximate track towards GUSNE through a hole in the weather. It is at this point that we finally got a response from the Controller: he told us to maintain our current heading and handed us off to the (next) Approach Controller. Decisive Pilot action to deviate from a cleared routing and avoid severe weather was driven in this case by acute ATC frequency congestion and the Controller's inability to take charge of the situation and adequately prioritize his traffic management tasks. As the Crew; I strongly feel that we took the best course of action in a challenging situation to preserve life and property. JAX Center/Tampa Approach needs to consider/execute a better airspace management plan when a line of severe weather cuts through a busy arrival corridor. In my many years of flying; that is the most severe case that I've encountered of a Controller 'losing the picture' and exhibiting a complete lack of ability in managing the air traffic situation during challenging weather conditions. I think some retraining would certainly be in order.
During arrival into TPA; a B737-800 First Officer reports requesting a weather deviation along with numerous pilots. The frequency becomes completely congested and the Controller becomes unresponsive. The crews involved deviate around the weather at will without any input from ATC. Eventually a frequency change is issued and the crew continues to a normal landing.