Narrative:

On a direct route to amg we were west of atl and our route was taking us between 2 buildups that were not painting on our radar but looked dark and turbulent. When we were about 5 NM from the gap atl gave us a 180 degree heading. We advised that this would put us in the west buildup. Atl then gave us a 070 degree heading. We began a turn to 070 degrees and it became apparent that we could not complete the turn without flying into the eastern buildup. I stopped the turn and advised atl that we must proceed through the gap. Atl responded that they could not provide radar separation as they had traffic holding at all levels in front of us. I declared an emergency and climbed to FL300 to go through the holding pattern area. We observed 1 aircraft on TCASII at FL290 that never came closer than 10 NM. No TA or RA was received. Factors contributing to this were: 1) frequency congestion making communications difficult, 2) controller gave us the turn later than normal, 3) WX was not visible on our radar and probably not on controller's.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PIC OF A B727, UNABLE TO STAY CLR OF TSTM ACTIVITY ON HEADING PROVIDED BY ATC, DECLARES AN EMER AND CLBS FROM FL290 TO FL300 THROUGH A GAP BTWN THE CELLS. NEAREST ACFT IN HOLDING PATTERNS WERE AT FL290, 10 NM.

Narrative: ON A DIRECT RTE TO AMG WE WERE W OF ATL AND OUR RTE WAS TAKING US BTWN 2 BUILDUPS THAT WERE NOT PAINTING ON OUR RADAR BUT LOOKED DARK AND TURBULENT. WHEN WE WERE ABOUT 5 NM FROM THE GAP ATL GAVE US A 180 DEG HDG. WE ADVISED THAT THIS WOULD PUT US IN THE W BUILDUP. ATL THEN GAVE US A 070 DEG HDG. WE BEGAN A TURN TO 070 DEGS AND IT BECAME APPARENT THAT WE COULD NOT COMPLETE THE TURN WITHOUT FLYING INTO THE EASTERN BUILDUP. I STOPPED THE TURN AND ADVISED ATL THAT WE MUST PROCEED THROUGH THE GAP. ATL RESPONDED THAT THEY COULD NOT PROVIDE RADAR SEPARATION AS THEY HAD TFC HOLDING AT ALL LEVELS IN FRONT OF US. I DECLARED AN EMER AND CLBED TO FL300 TO GO THROUGH THE HOLDING PATTERN AREA. WE OBSERVED 1 ACFT ON TCASII AT FL290 THAT NEVER CAME CLOSER THAN 10 NM. NO TA OR RA WAS RECEIVED. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THIS WERE: 1) FREQ CONGESTION MAKING COMS DIFFICULT, 2) CTLR GAVE US THE TURN LATER THAN NORMAL, 3) WX WAS NOT VISIBLE ON OUR RADAR AND PROBABLY NOT ON CTLR'S.

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.