Narrative:

During descent into bwi there was a strong line of thunderstorm/cumulo nimbus just east of mrb, these observed visually and on radar. Radar painted red with flashes of magenta. We requested deviation north or south but ATC refused claiming this would take us out of their airspace. Then told that other aircraft were penetrating along arrival route with only minor turbulence. We refused vector and accepted holding at mrb. During holding we observed acceptable path over iad, and requested routing mrb-aml-balance. Soon told to fly 180 degrees and given descent for vector around WX via iad airspace. After frequency change to next sector of dulles approach, we were vectored back into heart of cells. Vector refused due to WX. We were instructed to immediately turn back to mrb for further holding. We challenged ATC as to why there could be no way, no path, no altitude, no airspace to facilitate our needs. Told that we would be penetrating other airspace arrs and departures and thus effectively 'shutting them down.' soon thereafter another aircraft reported a mild area through the fringe of WX, and we accepted a vector into that area, encountered moderate turbulence, light precipitation. Lightning observed throughout entire episode. Vectors and ATC clearance consisted of accept present radial inbound with a slam dunk approach. We essentially were boxed in with no where to go, and little relief from neighboring airspace. Sacred airspace just doesn't register as so sacred when you're faced with severe WX, limited fuel, and no 'freeze button.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG CREW GOT POOR HANDLING FROM ATC WITH TSTMS PRESENT.

Narrative: DURING DSCNT INTO BWI THERE WAS A STRONG LINE OF TSTM/CUMULO NIMBUS JUST E OF MRB, THESE OBSERVED VISUALLY AND ON RADAR. RADAR PAINTED RED WITH FLASHES OF MAGENTA. WE REQUESTED DEV N OR S BUT ATC REFUSED CLAIMING THIS WOULD TAKE US OUT OF THEIR AIRSPACE. THEN TOLD THAT OTHER ACFT WERE PENETRATING ALONG ARR RTE WITH ONLY MINOR TURB. WE REFUSED VECTOR AND ACCEPTED HOLDING AT MRB. DURING HOLDING WE OBSERVED ACCEPTABLE PATH OVER IAD, AND REQUESTED ROUTING MRB-AML-BAL. SOON TOLD TO FLY 180 DEGS AND GIVEN DSCNT FOR VECTOR AROUND WX VIA IAD AIRSPACE. AFTER FREQ CHANGE TO NEXT SECTOR OF DULLES APCH, WE WERE VECTORED BACK INTO HEART OF CELLS. VECTOR REFUSED DUE TO WX. WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO IMMEDIATELY TURN BACK TO MRB FOR FURTHER HOLDING. WE CHALLENGED ATC AS TO WHY THERE COULD BE NO WAY, NO PATH, NO ALT, NO AIRSPACE TO FACILITATE OUR NEEDS. TOLD THAT WE WOULD BE PENETRATING OTHER AIRSPACE ARRS AND DEPS AND THUS EFFECTIVELY 'SHUTTING THEM DOWN.' SOON THEREAFTER ANOTHER ACFT RPTED A MILD AREA THROUGH THE FRINGE OF WX, AND WE ACCEPTED A VECTOR INTO THAT AREA, ENCOUNTERED MODERATE TURB, LIGHT PRECIPITATION. LIGHTNING OBSERVED THROUGHOUT ENTIRE EPISODE. VECTORS AND ATC CLRNC CONSISTED OF ACCEPT PRESENT RADIAL INBOUND WITH A SLAM DUNK APCH. WE ESSENTIALLY WERE BOXED IN WITH NO WHERE TO GO, AND LITTLE RELIEF FROM NEIGHBORING AIRSPACE. SACRED AIRSPACE JUST DOESN'T REGISTER AS SO SACRED WHEN YOU'RE FACED WITH SEVERE WX, LIMITED FUEL, AND NO 'FREEZE BUTTON.'

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.