Narrative:

After pilot requested and controller in ZDC granted deviation from jet route 42 southwest of gordonsville VOR for thunderstorms, another turn back to the northeast was requested to go between 2 sharply contouring cells. The controller on frequency 133.72 MHZ granted the clearance with an easterly heading 'assigned when able'. This was later amended to a southeasterly heading assignment 'when able'. Then, when our aircraft was directly between 2 cells, the controller on 133.72 suddenly ordered us 'air carrier flight X make a left 360 degree turn' we were absolutely not able because it would have placed us into extreme turbulence and told the controller 'unable'. After that, a great deal of confusion ensued including a sudden frequency change to 120.37 MHZ. This new controller explained that we should have been descended much earlier (which WX would have allowed) and that we were 'hung up on top now'. After several vectors, we were given a descent, and on an assigned heading of 070 degree, a frequency change from 134.5 to 132.05. It was on this frequency and approximately 27 mins later that the snow balling effect of controller error became apparent. The controller on 132.05 asked 'air carrier flight X, confirm you're on a 090 degree heading'. We replied to the negative and reported a 070 degree heading. Controller then ordered an immediate right turn to 090 degree to avoid converging traffic at our 9 O'clock. I feel that beginning at approximately xxyy Z on ZDC frequency 133.72 a series of mishandled events took place that could have led to a midair.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INFLT ENCOUNTER WITH WX AND TSTMS CREATES A PROBLEM WITH VECTORS AND DESCENT. POSSIBLE LOSS OF STANDARD SEPARATION.

Narrative: AFTER PLT REQUESTED AND CTLR IN ZDC GRANTED DEVIATION FROM JET ROUTE 42 SW OF GORDONSVILLE VOR FOR TSTMS, ANOTHER TURN BACK TO THE NE WAS REQUESTED TO GO BETWEEN 2 SHARPLY CONTOURING CELLS. THE CTLR ON FREQ 133.72 MHZ GRANTED THE CLRNC WITH AN EASTERLY HDG 'ASSIGNED WHEN ABLE'. THIS WAS LATER AMENDED TO A SOUTHEASTERLY HDG ASSIGNMENT 'WHEN ABLE'. THEN, WHEN OUR ACFT WAS DIRECTLY BETWEEN 2 CELLS, THE CTLR ON 133.72 SUDDENLY ORDERED US 'ACR FLT X MAKE A LEFT 360 DEG TURN' WE WERE ABSOLUTELY NOT ABLE BECAUSE IT WOULD HAVE PLACED US INTO EXTREME TURB AND TOLD THE CTLR 'UNABLE'. AFTER THAT, A GREAT DEAL OF CONFUSION ENSUED INCLUDING A SUDDEN FREQ CHANGE TO 120.37 MHZ. THIS NEW CTLR EXPLAINED THAT WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN DESCENDED MUCH EARLIER (WHICH WX WOULD HAVE ALLOWED) AND THAT WE WERE 'HUNG UP ON TOP NOW'. AFTER SEVERAL VECTORS, WE WERE GIVEN A DSCNT, AND ON AN ASSIGNED HDG OF 070 DEG, A FREQ CHANGE FROM 134.5 TO 132.05. IT WAS ON THIS FREQ AND APPROX 27 MINS LATER THAT THE SNOW BALLING EFFECT OF CTLR ERROR BECAME APPARENT. THE CTLR ON 132.05 ASKED 'ACR FLT X, CONFIRM YOU'RE ON A 090 DEG HDG'. WE REPLIED TO THE NEGATIVE AND REPORTED A 070 DEG HDG. CTLR THEN ORDERED AN IMMEDIATE RIGHT TURN TO 090 DEG TO AVOID CONVERGING TFC AT OUR 9 O'CLOCK. I FEEL THAT BEGINNING AT APPROX XXYY Z ON ZDC FREQ 133.72 A SERIES OF MISHANDLED EVENTS TOOK PLACE THAT COULD HAVE LED TO A MIDAIR.

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.