Narrative:

At cruise altitude, the right elevator feel pitot heat circuit breaker popped and would not reset. According to the MEL, flight in icing conditions should be avoided. After talking with a crew that had just departed pdx, it was decided that proceeding to pdx was a viable option (clouds were broken and WX was improving). Pdx approach control was advised that we would like to remain clear of clouds and we offered headings and altitude which would allow us to do this. This worked fine until we were on downwind (where we could see the airport through the broken clouds). Controller was informed that we did not want to proceed on normal traffic flow for landing (since this would take us into a WX buildup). Captain also declared 'min fuel.' controller gave us a vector which took us toward another build up and instructed us to climb to 6000'. Captain told controller that we needed more expeditious treatment (I do not recall the exact wording) and that if that was not possible we may have to declare an emergency. Controller apparently thought that we were declaring an emergency and we were handled accordingly. No real problem developed, but better communication on both sides would have improved the situation. I don't believe that we informed the controller of our reason for waiting to remain clear of clouds and he did not ask. Additionally, we did not stop his actions when he mistakenly believed that we were declaring an emergency.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: R ELEVATOR FEEL INOPERATIVE. FLT CREW AVOIDED ENTERING WX.

Narrative: AT CRUISE ALT, THE RIGHT ELEVATOR FEEL PITOT HEAT CB POPPED AND WOULD NOT RESET. ACCORDING TO THE MEL, FLT IN ICING CONDITIONS SHOULD BE AVOIDED. AFTER TALKING WITH A CREW THAT HAD JUST DEPARTED PDX, IT WAS DECIDED THAT PROCEEDING TO PDX WAS A VIABLE OPTION (CLOUDS WERE BROKEN AND WX WAS IMPROVING). PDX APCH CTL WAS ADVISED THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO REMAIN CLR OF CLOUDS AND WE OFFERED HDGS AND ALT WHICH WOULD ALLOW US TO DO THIS. THIS WORKED FINE UNTIL WE WERE ON DOWNWIND (WHERE WE COULD SEE THE ARPT THROUGH THE BROKEN CLOUDS). CTLR WAS INFORMED THAT WE DID NOT WANT TO PROCEED ON NORMAL TFC FLOW FOR LNDG (SINCE THIS WOULD TAKE US INTO A WX BUILDUP). CAPT ALSO DECLARED 'MIN FUEL.' CTLR GAVE US A VECTOR WHICH TOOK US TOWARD ANOTHER BUILD UP AND INSTRUCTED US TO CLB TO 6000'. CAPT TOLD CTLR THAT WE NEEDED MORE EXPEDITIOUS TREATMENT (I DO NOT RECALL THE EXACT WORDING) AND THAT IF THAT WAS NOT POSSIBLE WE MAY HAVE TO DECLARE AN EMER. CTLR APPARENTLY THOUGHT THAT WE WERE DECLARING AN EMER AND WE WERE HANDLED ACCORDINGLY. NO REAL PROB DEVELOPED, BUT BETTER COM ON BOTH SIDES WOULD HAVE IMPROVED THE SITUATION. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE INFORMED THE CTLR OF OUR REASON FOR WAITING TO REMAIN CLR OF CLOUDS AND HE DID NOT ASK. ADDITIONALLY, WE DID NOT STOP HIS ACTIONS WHEN HE MISTAKENLY BELIEVED THAT WE WERE DECLARING AN EMER.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.