Narrative:

On climbout from O'hare and in contact with departure control, we were given a climb to 13,000' on a 040 degree heading. At about 5000', the controller advised us of WX at 10 O'clock. We scanned the radar and identified this WX plus some more at 1 O'clock. The controller then requested a turn to 320 degree. This request struck both the captain and me as a strange request since that heading would put us right into the same WX the controller had pointed out to us and we were looking at on our radar. The captain informed the controller that we had WX to our left and right and requested present heading (040 degree) to avoid it. I can't quote verbatim the controller's response, but it was to the effect that the request was ok but to let him know when we could turn north. At about 10,000' the controller asked us if we were turning north. The captain answered that we were now clear of the WX and could do that. As we were going through 010 degree in the turn, the controller told us to level at 11,000', then to stop our turn, then to look for air carrier Y out of 11,700' (all these communications in a harried voice). We spotted air carrier Y and told him. He then said we were going out of his airspace, deviated 10 mi too much, and was not in contact with air carrier Y. We were never given a qualified permission to deviate, in fact, we turned north within 2 mi of the storm. We then got a 270 degree heading (directly towards the storm again) and it took repeated requests to keep us out of the WX. Departure control just didn't seem under control this day.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR ENCOUNTERED WX AFTER DEP AND COULD NOT COMPLY WITH ATC INSTRUCTIONS.

Narrative: ON CLIMBOUT FROM O'HARE AND IN CONTACT WITH DEP CTL, WE WERE GIVEN A CLIMB TO 13,000' ON A 040 DEG HDG. AT ABOUT 5000', THE CTLR ADVISED US OF WX AT 10 O'CLOCK. WE SCANNED THE RADAR AND IDENTIFIED THIS WX PLUS SOME MORE AT 1 O'CLOCK. THE CTLR THEN REQUESTED A TURN TO 320 DEG. THIS REQUEST STRUCK BOTH THE CAPT AND ME AS A STRANGE REQUEST SINCE THAT HDG WOULD PUT US RIGHT INTO THE SAME WX THE CTLR HAD POINTED OUT TO US AND WE WERE LOOKING AT ON OUR RADAR. THE CAPT INFORMED THE CTLR THAT WE HAD WX TO OUR LEFT AND RIGHT AND REQUESTED PRESENT HDG (040 DEG) TO AVOID IT. I CAN'T QUOTE VERBATIM THE CTLR'S RESPONSE, BUT IT WAS TO THE EFFECT THAT THE REQUEST WAS OK BUT TO LET HIM KNOW WHEN WE COULD TURN NORTH. AT ABOUT 10,000' THE CTLR ASKED US IF WE WERE TURNING NORTH. THE CAPT ANSWERED THAT WE WERE NOW CLEAR OF THE WX AND COULD DO THAT. AS WE WERE GOING THROUGH 010 DEG IN THE TURN, THE CTLR TOLD US TO LEVEL AT 11,000', THEN TO STOP OUR TURN, THEN TO LOOK FOR ACR Y OUT OF 11,700' (ALL THESE COMS IN A HARRIED VOICE). WE SPOTTED ACR Y AND TOLD HIM. HE THEN SAID WE WERE GOING OUT OF HIS AIRSPACE, DEVIATED 10 MI TOO MUCH, AND WAS NOT IN CONTACT WITH ACR Y. WE WERE NEVER GIVEN A QUALIFIED PERMISSION TO DEVIATE, IN FACT, WE TURNED NORTH WITHIN 2 MI OF THE STORM. WE THEN GOT A 270 DEG HDG (DIRECTLY TOWARDS THE STORM AGAIN) AND IT TOOK REPEATED REQUESTS TO KEEP US OUT OF THE WX. DEP CTL JUST DIDN'T SEEM UNDER CONTROL THIS DAY.

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.