Flight crew has TCASII TA while avoiding thunderstorms.

Attributes
ACN	278598
Time
Date	199407
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bal
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7500 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bwi
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	278598
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

Flight from baltimore to atlanta XX14 liftoff from bwi. Prior to departure roll, radar on, we noticed a line of WX 25 mi west. After takeoff during our climb to 4000 ft switched to baltimore departure. Departure cleared us to climb to 9000 ft. We made reference to the WX and indicated our desire to deviation slightly south by 10-15 degrees for a south end run around a line of thunderstorms. No answer came back. About 30 seconds later we asked again for a slight turn to the left for WX and the controller came back and said 'unable.' we were now unable to turn right because of a cell visible just to our right and we asked again for a slight left turn. The controller said unable and wanted us to turn right to 360 degrees into the cell and we said the only way we can go is left. The controller finally said 'turn left with traffic at 8000 ft (we had leveled at 7500 ft on our own using TCASII) and for us to squawk 7700. We did all that and asked for a descent to 7000 ft for clearance from our traffic which was now a TCASII alert. We avoided the WX and the aircraft using equipment on our aircraft with no help from ATC. I feel ATC could have stopped our climb at 5000 ft or 700 ft for clearance from the 8000 ft aircraft and cleared us from the WX without having to squawk emergency 7700.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC HAS TCASII TA WHILE AVOIDING TSTMS.

Narrative: FLT FROM BALTIMORE TO ATLANTA XX14 LIFTOFF FROM BWI. PRIOR TO DEP ROLL, RADAR ON, WE NOTICED A LINE OF WX 25 MI W. AFTER TKOF DURING OUR CLB TO 4000 FT SWITCHED TO BALTIMORE DEP. DEP CLRED US TO CLB TO 9000 FT. WE MADE REF TO THE WX AND INDICATED OUR DESIRE TO DEV SLIGHTLY S BY 10-15 DEGS FOR A S END RUN AROUND A LINE OF TSTMS. NO ANSWER CAME BACK. ABOUT 30 SECONDS LATER WE ASKED AGAIN FOR A SLIGHT TURN TO THE L FOR WX AND THE CTLR CAME BACK AND SAID 'UNABLE.' WE WERE NOW UNABLE TO TURN R BECAUSE OF A CELL VISIBLE JUST TO OUR R AND WE ASKED AGAIN FOR A SLIGHT L TURN. THE CTLR SAID UNABLE AND WANTED US TO TURN R TO 360 DEGS INTO THE CELL AND WE SAID THE ONLY WAY WE CAN GO IS L. THE CTLR FINALLY SAID 'TURN L WITH TFC AT 8000 FT (WE HAD LEVELED AT 7500 FT ON OUR OWN USING TCASII) AND FOR US TO SQUAWK 7700. WE DID ALL THAT AND ASKED FOR A DSCNT TO 7000 FT FOR CLRNC FROM OUR TFC WHICH WAS NOW A TCASII ALERT. WE AVOIDED THE WX AND THE ACFT USING EQUIP ON OUR ACFT WITH NO HELP FROM ATC. I FEEL ATC COULD HAVE STOPPED OUR CLB AT 5000 FT OR 700 FT FOR CLRNC FROM THE 8000 FT ACFT AND CLRED US FROM THE WX WITHOUT HAVING TO SQUAWK EMER 7700.

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