Narrative:

Avoiding WX (strong/severe WX) bordering washington, dc/phl/new york area, requested 060 degree heading from ZDC 128.52. Flying 060 degrees, frequency change to ZDC 133.12. Controller said (about XA40Z) to turn left immediately and to squawk 'mayday.' the first officer and I were incredulous and asked for a clarification of squawk and that we could fly 030 degrees but only for a while. Confirmation of 7700 from ATC received and we steered 030 degrees. There was lots of radio traffic and about the time (XA47Z) we were going to request a 060 degree heading, ATC gave us direct hto, direct center, direct alb. That kept us away from most WX and we complied. At about XA48Z ATC told us to squawk xxab, which we did. The remainder of the flight was routine. At no time were we informed of 'hot' warning areas prior to frequency change to 133.12. I made a phone call to ZDC and spoke to supervisor from the hotel at XE20 EDT. He said he would look up the day's event(south) and I gave him my home phone and the chief pilot's office phone. The conversation was cordial and professional.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR FK10 REQUESTED AND WAS CLRED TO FLY A 060 DEG HDG FOR WX AVOIDANCE. UPON FREQ CHANGE TO NEXT SECTOR THE ACR WAS TOLD TO SQUAWK 7700 AND TURN TO A 030 DEG HDG. ACFT HAD ENTERED A HOT WARNING AREA. CAPT LATER TALKED WITH ATC AND APPARENTLY NO PROBS OCCURRED.

Narrative: AVOIDING WX (STRONG/SEVERE WX) BORDERING WASHINGTON, DC/PHL/NEW YORK AREA, REQUESTED 060 DEG HDG FROM ZDC 128.52. FLYING 060 DEGS, FREQ CHANGE TO ZDC 133.12. CTLR SAID (ABOUT XA40Z) TO TURN L IMMEDIATELY AND TO SQUAWK 'MAYDAY.' THE FO AND I WERE INCREDULOUS AND ASKED FOR A CLARIFICATION OF SQUAWK AND THAT WE COULD FLY 030 DEGS BUT ONLY FOR A WHILE. CONFIRMATION OF 7700 FROM ATC RECEIVED AND WE STEERED 030 DEGS. THERE WAS LOTS OF RADIO TFC AND ABOUT THE TIME (XA47Z) WE WERE GOING TO REQUEST A 060 DEG HDG, ATC GAVE US DIRECT HTO, DIRECT CTR, DIRECT ALB. THAT KEPT US AWAY FROM MOST WX AND WE COMPLIED. AT ABOUT XA48Z ATC TOLD US TO SQUAWK XXAB, WHICH WE DID. THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WAS ROUTINE. AT NO TIME WERE WE INFORMED OF 'HOT' WARNING AREAS PRIOR TO FREQ CHANGE TO 133.12. I MADE A PHONE CALL TO ZDC AND SPOKE TO SUPVR FROM THE HOTEL AT XE20 EDT. HE SAID HE WOULD LOOK UP THE DAY'S EVENT(S) AND I GAVE HIM MY HOME PHONE AND THE CHIEF PLT'S OFFICE PHONE. THE CONVERSATION WAS CORDIAL AND PROFESSIONAL.

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.