What action, if any, is appropriate if the pilot deviates from an ATC instruction during an emergency and is given priority?

• A. Submit a flight plan to the control tower within 24 hours
• B. File a detailed report within 48 hours to the chief of the appropriate ATC facility, if requested
• C. Notify the weather service
• D. No action is required

Answer: (B)

When you deviate from an ATC instruction in an emergency and ATC has given you priority, you still have a responsibility to document what happened. The appropriate action is to file a detailed deviation report with the chief of the relevant ATC facility within 48 hours, if the facility requests it. This report helps ATC understand the situation, evaluate procedures, and improve safety, without penalizing you for acting to protect lives or property.

Submitting a flight plan within 24 hours isn’t part of this requirement, notifying the weather service isn’t relevant to the deviation, and saying no action is required isn’t accurate because a post-event report is the expected process when requested.