Flight crew provides their own vector rather than accept an ATC vector into traffic.

Attributes
ACN	128605
Time
Date	198911
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ord
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	128605
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was at 8000', heading 270 degrees. A line of thunderstorms was close off to my right, perhaps 5 mi or less. I felt uncomfortable being even that close. Other planes ahead of me had similar complaints about this line of storms. But we were southeast of ord being vectored to ILS 9R and would very soon be past the storms. Then the controller commanded I make a right turn to 340 degrees. Impossible, we argued. I was offered no other choice but a right turn, except possibly a mid-air collision! I made the turn as tight as possible, but refused the 340 degrees. I rolled out on a 110 degree heading. Further vectors followed ending with us landing on 9R. I felt the controller, for whatever reason or circumstance, had gotten himself in a corner. If I had to turn right or risk collision then when that only option fails, as it did this night, then there we are with nowhere to go and out of ideas. As PIC, I'm well aware that airplanes can't stop. We must always have an out. To have only one out available is courting disaster. I don't think this controller understands this. Was there no other choice? Really? A left 180 degree turn? Altitude change? Airspeed change? The controller offers a pilot a near miss situation or fly into a line of 'red' on my radar. Some choice.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW PROVIDES THEIR OWN VECTOR RATHER THAN ACCEPT AN ATC VECTOR INTO TRAFFIC.

Narrative: I WAS AT 8000', HDG 270 DEGS. A LINE OF TSTMS WAS CLOSE OFF TO MY RIGHT, PERHAPS 5 MI OR LESS. I FELT UNCOMFORTABLE BEING EVEN THAT CLOSE. OTHER PLANES AHEAD OF ME HAD SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS LINE OF STORMS. BUT WE WERE SE OF ORD BEING VECTORED TO ILS 9R AND WOULD VERY SOON BE PAST THE STORMS. THEN THE CTLR COMMANDED I MAKE A RIGHT TURN TO 340 DEGS. IMPOSSIBLE, WE ARGUED. I WAS OFFERED NO OTHER CHOICE BUT A RIGHT TURN, EXCEPT POSSIBLY A MID-AIR COLLISION! I MADE THE TURN AS TIGHT AS POSSIBLE, BUT REFUSED THE 340 DEGS. I ROLLED OUT ON A 110 DEG HDG. FURTHER VECTORS FOLLOWED ENDING WITH US LNDG ON 9R. I FELT THE CTLR, FOR WHATEVER REASON OR CIRCUMSTANCE, HAD GOTTEN HIMSELF IN A CORNER. IF I HAD TO TURN RIGHT OR RISK COLLISION THEN WHEN THAT ONLY OPTION FAILS, AS IT DID THIS NIGHT, THEN THERE WE ARE WITH NOWHERE TO GO AND OUT OF IDEAS. AS PIC, I'M WELL AWARE THAT AIRPLANES CAN'T STOP. WE MUST ALWAYS HAVE AN OUT. TO HAVE ONLY ONE OUT AVAILABLE IS COURTING DISASTER. I DON'T THINK THIS CTLR UNDERSTANDS THIS. WAS THERE NO OTHER CHOICE? REALLY? A LEFT 180 DEG TURN? ALT CHANGE? AIRSPD CHANGE? THE CTLR OFFERS A PLT A NEAR MISS SITUATION OR FLY INTO A LINE OF 'RED' ON MY RADAR. SOME CHOICE.

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.