Narrative:

Thunderstorms blanketed the entire area during the time of the incident. After a 3+ hour delay, I departed dfw on runway 17R with the standard clearance, runway heading to 10000 ft and expect vectors. At about 5000 ft, I was told to turn left to 070 degrees and climb to 17000 ft. I was speaking to departure control on 118.55 at the time. I replied that the heading did not look very good because of WX and that I would turn toward the east and take a look. He told me someone else had gone through there and it was not that bad. He then repeated the 070 degree heading. On reaching 090 degrees, I stopped the turn and told him I could not go any further and that I was turning back to 100 degrees. He became very agitated and said that I could not do that and then instructed me to turn even further into the WX in question on a heading of 030 degrees. I told him that I will not fly into that WX and would declare an emergency to avoid it if I had to. He said 030 degrees was my clearance and angrily asked if I was declaring an emergency. I said 'yes.' he then said 'fly present heading, climb to 11000 ft and call ZFW.' they asked the nature of the emergency. I said it was to avoid hazardous WX. He said 'fly present heading and climb to 17000 ft.' after about 2 mins, I said I could turn to the north. Center cleared me to ortro on the dallas 5. I then terminated the emergency. In closing, I find it very disturbing for a controller to have such a bullying attitude. If the guys flying the aircraft do not think something is safe, it would be nice to get a little help instead of a condescending attitude and conflict.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN S80 PIC REFUSES TO TAKE THE VECTOR GIVEN BY DEP CTLR WHEN THE FLT ENCOUNTERS TSTM ACTIVITY ON ITS PROJECTED TRACK NE OF DFW, TX.

Narrative: TSTMS BLANKETED THE ENTIRE AREA DURING THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. AFTER A 3+ HR DELAY, I DEPARTED DFW ON RWY 17R WITH THE STANDARD CLRNC, RWY HDG TO 10000 FT AND EXPECT VECTORS. AT ABOUT 5000 FT, I WAS TOLD TO TURN L TO 070 DEGS AND CLB TO 17000 FT. I WAS SPEAKING TO DEP CTL ON 118.55 AT THE TIME. I REPLIED THAT THE HDG DID NOT LOOK VERY GOOD BECAUSE OF WX AND THAT I WOULD TURN TOWARD THE E AND TAKE A LOOK. HE TOLD ME SOMEONE ELSE HAD GONE THROUGH THERE AND IT WAS NOT THAT BAD. HE THEN REPEATED THE 070 DEG HDG. ON REACHING 090 DEGS, I STOPPED THE TURN AND TOLD HIM I COULD NOT GO ANY FURTHER AND THAT I WAS TURNING BACK TO 100 DEGS. HE BECAME VERY AGITATED AND SAID THAT I COULD NOT DO THAT AND THEN INSTRUCTED ME TO TURN EVEN FURTHER INTO THE WX IN QUESTION ON A HDG OF 030 DEGS. I TOLD HIM THAT I WILL NOT FLY INTO THAT WX AND WOULD DECLARE AN EMER TO AVOID IT IF I HAD TO. HE SAID 030 DEGS WAS MY CLRNC AND ANGRILY ASKED IF I WAS DECLARING AN EMER. I SAID 'YES.' HE THEN SAID 'FLY PRESENT HDG, CLB TO 11000 FT AND CALL ZFW.' THEY ASKED THE NATURE OF THE EMER. I SAID IT WAS TO AVOID HAZARDOUS WX. HE SAID 'FLY PRESENT HDG AND CLB TO 17000 FT.' AFTER ABOUT 2 MINS, I SAID I COULD TURN TO THE N. CTR CLRED ME TO ORTRO ON THE DALLAS 5. I THEN TERMINATED THE EMER. IN CLOSING, I FIND IT VERY DISTURBING FOR A CTLR TO HAVE SUCH A BULLYING ATTITUDE. IF THE GUYS FLYING THE ACFT DO NOT THINK SOMETHING IS SAFE, IT WOULD BE NICE TO GET A LITTLE HELP INSTEAD OF A CONDESCENDING ATTITUDE AND CONFLICT.

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.