Narrative:

Air carrier X from abe to bwi. At XXXX jul/tue/89 on victor airway 499 10 south of lancaster VOR, given a descent from 8000' to 6000' by harrisburg control. Descending approximately heading was 190 on airway. Controller asked for us to expedite the descent. We acknowledged the 'expedite' to 6000 and asked for a 10 degree left deviation to clear cumulus clouds associated with a thunderstorm painted on our radar. Controller allowed us to deviate. Upon reading 6000' controller told us to make a left 360 turn due to 'unable to handoff to balance approach'. After turning left ground to heading 270 controller advised us to continue 'turn to heading 330'. We acknowledged. Shortly thereafter, controller asked present heading going thru. We told her 240. Controller told us to then turn right to 330. I told her we could not accept right turn because it would put us in thunderstorm. She said we could continue on 240 heading. I told her we needed a 180 turn because 240 heading would put us in thunderstorm. I told first officer flying to continue turn to left. Controller asked if I was declaring an emergency. I reaffirmed I could not accept turn into thunderstorms. While still in turn controller cleared us direct lancaster VOR then on course. I believe controller got herself in a tight box because she could not get handoff to bwi and she indicated phl would not take handoff. Also, controller doesn't seem to appreciate the seriousness of or damaged of flying into thunderstorm.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DEVIATION FROM CLRNC DUE TO TSTM. FAILURE TO ADHERE TO ATC INSTRUCTIONS. PLT DEVIATION.

Narrative: ACR X FROM ABE TO BWI. AT XXXX JUL/TUE/89 ON VICTOR AIRWAY 499 10 S OF LANCASTER VOR, GIVEN A DSCNT FROM 8000' TO 6000' BY HARRISBURG CTL. DESCENDING APPROX HDG WAS 190 ON AIRWAY. CTLR ASKED FOR US TO EXPEDITE THE DSCNT. WE ACKNOWLEDGED THE 'EXPEDITE' TO 6000 AND ASKED FOR A 10 DEG LEFT DEVIATION TO CLEAR CUMULUS CLOUDS ASSOCIATED WITH A TSTM PAINTED ON OUR RADAR. CTLR ALLOWED US TO DEVIATE. UPON READING 6000' CTLR TOLD US TO MAKE A LEFT 360 TURN DUE TO 'UNABLE TO HANDOFF TO BAL APCH'. AFTER TURNING LEFT GND TO HDG 270 CTLR ADVISED US TO CONTINUE 'TURN TO HDG 330'. WE ACKNOWLEDGED. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, CTLR ASKED PRESENT HDG GOING THRU. WE TOLD HER 240. CTLR TOLD US TO THEN TURN RIGHT TO 330. I TOLD HER WE COULD NOT ACCEPT RIGHT TURN BECAUSE IT WOULD PUT US IN TSTM. SHE SAID WE COULD CONTINUE ON 240 HDG. I TOLD HER WE NEEDED A 180 TURN BECAUSE 240 HDG WOULD PUT US IN TSTM. I TOLD F/O FLYING TO CONTINUE TURN TO LEFT. CTLR ASKED IF I WAS DECLARING AN EMER. I REAFFIRMED I COULD NOT ACCEPT TURN INTO TSTMS. WHILE STILL IN TURN CTLR CLRED US DIRECT LANCASTER VOR THEN ON COURSE. I BELIEVE CTLR GOT HERSELF IN A TIGHT BOX BECAUSE SHE COULD NOT GET HANDOFF TO BWI AND SHE INDICATED PHL WOULD NOT TAKE HANDOFF. ALSO, CTLR DOESN'T SEEM TO APPRECIATE THE SERIOUSNESS OF OR DAMAGED OF FLYING INTO TSTM.

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.