Narrative:

We received a reroute to the tomsn arrival to den. A descent clearance to FL190 was received. At the time there was a number of buildups along the arrival path. I was in an expedited descent to try to get under the buildups for a better ride. Passing through FL250, ZDV called and asked what our altitude was. We replied descending through FL250. ZDV then said to stop at FL250. The rate of descent being 400 FPM plus took us to FL244 before I could climb to FL250. ZDV then became vague and as so often happens, mumbled something. ZDV then, still not communication well, told us to turn 30 degrees right. Once again, ZDV mumbled and all we could understand was something about 290. The turn would put us right into the storm cell. I climbed to FL260 and in a steep turn way past 30 degrees, was able to avoid the cell. We were then cleared back to the tomsn intersection and to descend to FL190 by a different controller. Had the first controller been clear with her communication, I would have not had to exercise my emergency captain's authority/authorized for those few mins. A note, the arrival has an expected crossing altitude for tomsn intersection of 17000 ft. If a descent clearance had not been issued, we would have crossed tomsn intersection at FL290. This altitude would be way too high for any kind of a normal descent into denver. The controller seemed confused. If this was a student controller, she should not be practicing during IMC WX. Many controllers talk very fast and in doing so, mumble. They are failing to communication. Because of this, many repeated radio calls are made. The FAA needs to train these people in communicating. The USA controllers are known world-wide as the worst at communicating.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC DECLARES AN EMER TO ALTER HDG AND ALT TO AVOID WX.

Narrative: WE RECEIVED A REROUTE TO THE TOMSN ARR TO DEN. A DSCNT CLRNC TO FL190 WAS RECEIVED. AT THE TIME THERE WAS A NUMBER OF BUILDUPS ALONG THE ARR PATH. I WAS IN AN EXPEDITED DSCNT TO TRY TO GET UNDER THE BUILDUPS FOR A BETTER RIDE. PASSING THROUGH FL250, ZDV CALLED AND ASKED WHAT OUR ALT WAS. WE REPLIED DSNDING THROUGH FL250. ZDV THEN SAID TO STOP AT FL250. THE RATE OF DSCNT BEING 400 FPM PLUS TOOK US TO FL244 BEFORE I COULD CLB TO FL250. ZDV THEN BECAME VAGUE AND AS SO OFTEN HAPPENS, MUMBLED SOMETHING. ZDV THEN, STILL NOT COM WELL, TOLD US TO TURN 30 DEGS R. ONCE AGAIN, ZDV MUMBLED AND ALL WE COULD UNDERSTAND WAS SOMETHING ABOUT 290. THE TURN WOULD PUT US RIGHT INTO THE STORM CELL. I CLBED TO FL260 AND IN A STEEP TURN WAY PAST 30 DEGS, WAS ABLE TO AVOID THE CELL. WE WERE THEN CLRED BACK TO THE TOMSN INTXN AND TO DSND TO FL190 BY A DIFFERENT CTLR. HAD THE FIRST CTLR BEEN CLR WITH HER COM, I WOULD HAVE NOT HAD TO EXERCISE MY EMER CAPT'S AUTH FOR THOSE FEW MINS. A NOTE, THE ARR HAS AN EXPECTED XING ALT FOR TOMSN INTXN OF 17000 FT. IF A DSCNT CLRNC HAD NOT BEEN ISSUED, WE WOULD HAVE CROSSED TOMSN INTXN AT FL290. THIS ALT WOULD BE WAY TOO HIGH FOR ANY KIND OF A NORMAL DSCNT INTO DENVER. THE CTLR SEEMED CONFUSED. IF THIS WAS A STUDENT CTLR, SHE SHOULD NOT BE PRACTICING DURING IMC WX. MANY CTLRS TALK VERY FAST AND IN DOING SO, MUMBLE. THEY ARE FAILING TO COM. BECAUSE OF THIS, MANY REPEATED RADIO CALLS ARE MADE. THE FAA NEEDS TO TRAIN THESE PEOPLE IN COMMUNICATING. THE USA CTLRS ARE KNOWN WORLD-WIDE AS THE WORST AT COMMUNICATING.

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.