Unable to obtain clearance to avoid a WX cell, B737 captain declares an emergency and turns away fro...

Attributes
ACN	590738
Time
Date	200308
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl single value : 1000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	590738
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : radar other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : declared emergency
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

Departing dfw asked controller for 150 degree heading to avoid cell directly in front 3 mi away. Controller responded 'unable, standby, I will get back to you.' I did not have time to wait because it was coming up fast. I therefore declared emergency to take up heading 150 degrees. Missed flying under the cell by less than 1 mi. Heavy rain shaft was observed falling from base of cell which was approximately 4500 ft. Radar painted very intense cell approximately 3 mi in diameter.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNABLE TO OBTAIN CLRNC TO AVOID A WX CELL, B737 CAPT DECLARES AN EMER AND TURNS AWAY FROM THE CELL.

Narrative: DEPARTING DFW ASKED CTLR FOR 150 DEG HDG TO AVOID CELL DIRECTLY IN FRONT 3 MI AWAY. CTLR RESPONDED 'UNABLE, STANDBY, I WILL GET BACK TO YOU.' I DID NOT HAVE TIME TO WAIT BECAUSE IT WAS COMING UP FAST. I THEREFORE DECLARED EMER TO TAKE UP HEADING 150 DEGS. MISSED FLYING UNDER THE CELL BY LESS THAN 1 MI. HVY RAIN SHAFT WAS OBSERVED FALLING FROM BASE OF CELL WHICH WAS APPROX 4500 FT. RADAR PAINTED VERY INTENSE CELL APPROX 3 MI IN DIAMETER.

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.

Unable to obtain clearance to avoid a WX cell, B737 captain declares an emergency and turns away from the cell.