B757 flight crew denied controllers vector to avoid WX.

Attributes
ACN	432886
Time
Date	199904
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : crg.vortac
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl single value : 37000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zjx.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	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 : 350 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	432886
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather ATC Human Performance Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

We were deviating west of course paralleling a line of storms on a heading of 335 degrees magnetic. ZJX twice told us to turn to a heading of 345 degrees and proceed direct to dublin when able. This new heading would have taken us too close to the WX, and we responded, 'unable due to WX' both times. ATC then responded,' it is not a subject for debate, turn to a heading of 345 degrees immediately.' again we responded, 'unable due to WX.' ATC then stated, 'there is no WX between you and dublin, I understand you are exercising your emergency authority/authorized, thank you!' and gave us a frequency change. These final comments were both confrontational and sarcastic. At no time did we declare an emergency nor request special handling beyond what I normally expect when deviating because of WX. It would help to have ATC's constraints verbalized (ie, conflicting traffic, you're leaving my sector, etc). There is no way for ATC to have a true picture of the actual WX conditions (ie, overhangs, rotator clouds, etc) even if he's looking at a WX radar picture. All pilots have different ways of evaluating WX and their own criteria with regards to deviations. On our part, I suppose we could have inquired of the reason for the heading change.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 FLC DENIED CTLRS VECTOR TO AVOID WX.

Narrative: WE WERE DEVIATING W OF COURSE PARALLELING A LINE OF STORMS ON A HDG OF 335 DEGS MAGNETIC. ZJX TWICE TOLD US TO TURN TO A HDG OF 345 DEGS AND PROCEED DIRECT TO DUBLIN WHEN ABLE. THIS NEW HDG WOULD HAVE TAKEN US TOO CLOSE TO THE WX, AND WE RESPONDED, 'UNABLE DUE TO WX' BOTH TIMES. ATC THEN RESPONDED,' IT IS NOT A SUBJECT FOR DEBATE, TURN TO A HDG OF 345 DEGS IMMEDIATELY.' AGAIN WE RESPONDED, 'UNABLE DUE TO WX.' ATC THEN STATED, 'THERE IS NO WX BTWN YOU AND DUBLIN, I UNDERSTAND YOU ARE EXERCISING YOUR EMER AUTH, THANK YOU!' AND GAVE US A FREQ CHANGE. THESE FINAL COMMENTS WERE BOTH CONFRONTATIONAL AND SARCASTIC. AT NO TIME DID WE DECLARE AN EMER NOR REQUEST SPECIAL HANDLING BEYOND WHAT I NORMALLY EXPECT WHEN DEVIATING BECAUSE OF WX. IT WOULD HELP TO HAVE ATC'S CONSTRAINTS VERBALIZED (IE, CONFLICTING TFC, YOU'RE LEAVING MY SECTOR, ETC). THERE IS NO WAY FOR ATC TO HAVE A TRUE PICTURE OF THE ACTUAL WX CONDITIONS (IE, OVERHANGS, ROTATOR CLOUDS, ETC) EVEN IF HE'S LOOKING AT A WX RADAR PICTURE. ALL PLTS HAVE DIFFERENT WAYS OF EVALUATING WX AND THEIR OWN CRITERIA WITH REGARDS TO DEVS. ON OUR PART, I SUPPOSE WE COULD HAVE INQUIRED OF THE REASON FOR THE HDG CHANGE.

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.