Narrative:

Mgm-mco, FL330. Cleared mgm J41 tlh otk lasse arrival. Northwest of tlh cleared direct otk. When northwest of tlh center reclred us right turn 90 degree intercept J43 to northeast of tlh J43 pie direct lal direct moc. A lot of WX over pie and (the departures out of pie were filling the airspace northwest of moc, but this information not available in flight) we asked to deviate to the left of WX and center said no, no explanation. On 190 degree heading asked for lower but an aircraft was below and to our right. We deviated west of J41 and couldn't turn left (thunderstorm) and the center said we would have to exercise my emergency authority to turn right. I did and turned aircraft right thru 240 degree. We were directed to turn left to 140 degree and descend to 24,000 or 17,000. West 470E was active, ground to 35,000 and the center later explained when I called on the phone, the eastern 30 miles was only active to 27,000'. I felt like I was sent down this narrow corridor. WX on left. Warning on right and not able to duck under WX. I think the controller should have given us more information, can't descend, can't turn right in next so many miles, and then we could have decided not to take the original clearance. Last day of 4 day trip, 16 takeoffs and lndgs under 2 minimum rests, 9 hours flight time. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: this has been the worst year for thunderstorms in my experience. In this instance I was totally fatigued and frustrated because ATC had routed me without advising it was because of heavy WX. Then they let me go so far I was in a position with no options left. I felt they forced me into a needless declaring of emergency.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF LGT ENCOUNTERED HEAVY TSTM ACTIVITY APCHING PIE UNABLE TO ACCEPT TURNS GIVEN BY ZJX, EXERCISED EMERGENCY CAPT AUTHORITY TO TURN TO AVOID TURBULENCE.

Narrative: MGM-MCO, FL330. CLRED MGM J41 TLH OTK LASSE ARRIVAL. NW OF TLH CLRED DIRECT OTK. WHEN NW OF TLH CENTER RECLRED US RIGHT TURN 90 DEG INTERCEPT J43 TO NE OF TLH J43 PIE DIRECT LAL DIRECT MOC. A LOT OF WX OVER PIE AND (THE DEPS OUT OF PIE WERE FILLING THE AIRSPACE NW OF MOC, BUT THIS INFO NOT AVAILABLE IN FLT) WE ASKED TO DEVIATE TO THE LEFT OF WX AND CENTER SAID NO, NO EXPLANATION. ON 190 DEG HDG ASKED FOR LOWER BUT AN ACFT WAS BELOW AND TO OUR RIGHT. WE DEVIATED W OF J41 AND COULDN'T TURN LEFT (TSTM) AND THE CENTER SAID WE WOULD HAVE TO EXERCISE MY EMER AUTHORITY TO TURN RIGHT. I DID AND TURNED ACFT RIGHT THRU 240 DEG. WE WERE DIRECTED TO TURN LEFT TO 140 DEG AND DSND TO 24,000 OR 17,000. W 470E WAS ACTIVE, GND TO 35,000 AND THE CENTER LATER EXPLAINED WHEN I CALLED ON THE PHONE, THE EASTERN 30 MILES WAS ONLY ACTIVE TO 27,000'. I FELT LIKE I WAS SENT DOWN THIS NARROW CORRIDOR. WX ON LEFT. WARNING ON RIGHT AND NOT ABLE TO DUCK UNDER WX. I THINK THE CTLR SHOULD HAVE GIVEN US MORE INFO, CAN'T DSND, CAN'T TURN RIGHT IN NEXT SO MANY MILES, AND THEN WE COULD HAVE DECIDED NOT TO TAKE THE ORIGINAL CLRNC. LAST DAY OF 4 DAY TRIP, 16 TKOFS AND LNDGS UNDER 2 MINIMUM RESTS, 9 HRS FLT TIME. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: THIS HAS BEEN THE WORST YEAR FOR TSTMS IN MY EXPERIENCE. IN THIS INSTANCE I WAS TOTALLY FATIGUED AND FRUSTRATED BECAUSE ATC HAD ROUTED ME WITHOUT ADVISING IT WAS BECAUSE OF HEAVY WX. THEN THEY LET ME GO SO FAR I WAS IN A POSITION WITH NO OPTIONS LEFT. I FELT THEY FORCED ME INTO A NEEDLESS DECLARING OF EMER.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.