Narrative:

En route sfo-las we encountered a large area or thunderstorms along our filed route of J-92. We advised ZLA that deviations would be necessary. We requested and had approved an easterly heading which would keep us north of the WX. Center appeared to be concerned that our required deviations might eventually cause a conflict with edwards restr airspace. Center admitted that they did not have a clear picture of exactly where the WX was located nor its position relative to the restr airspace. While we continued to deviate to remain clear of WX, we told center several times that we could not turn right towards J-92 and what were their plans for us. Center's only concern seemed to be to keep us away from restr airspace. Center kept asking us when we could turn right towards J-92. We told them it would be at least 15 mi before we could right. Center then gave us a left turn heading 330 degree to avoid restr airspace. Another left turn followed so that we were heading southwest. We now had WX on both sides of us and were cleared to deviate as necessary. We encountered light turbulence and mod icing and observed a large overhang ahead west/mamma. We descended to FL190 and continued to deviate to remain clear of cells. I was busy operating engine and wing anti-ice, trying unsuccessfully to contact company dispatch through sfo commercial radio (commercial radio would not answer) and monitoring the radar. Center told us we had to turn right to avoid restr airspace. The captain advised center that we could not turn right because of a large cell. Center said we could not enter the restr airspace and had to turn right. The captain declared an emergency. Center told us to turn right. The captain again declared an emergency and was finally acknowledged by center and cleared to deviate as necessary. We were then told by center to turn 'hard' right because there was 'live rounds' ahead. We complied, deviated for 30 more minutes and finally landed in las. Why can't center see the WX? Why couldn't center coordinate with edwards? We were in trouble and they were no help! This was the worst storm reported in the owens valley in the last decade.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF LGT ENCOUNTERED SEVERE WX. UNABLE TO ACCEPT HEADINGS AS DIRECTED BY ZLA. CAPT DECLARED EMERGENCY. FLT WAS CLEARED TO DEVIATE AS NECESSARY.

Narrative: ENRTE SFO-LAS WE ENCOUNTERED A LARGE AREA OR TSTMS ALONG OUR FILED ROUTE OF J-92. WE ADVISED ZLA THAT DEVIATIONS WOULD BE NECESSARY. WE REQUESTED AND HAD APPROVED AN EASTERLY HDG WHICH WOULD KEEP US N OF THE WX. CENTER APPEARED TO BE CONCERNED THAT OUR REQUIRED DEVIATIONS MIGHT EVENTUALLY CAUSE A CONFLICT WITH EDWARDS RESTR AIRSPACE. CENTER ADMITTED THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE A CLEAR PICTURE OF EXACTLY WHERE THE WX WAS LOCATED NOR ITS POSITION RELATIVE TO THE RESTR AIRSPACE. WHILE WE CONTINUED TO DEVIATE TO REMAIN CLEAR OF WX, WE TOLD CENTER SEVERAL TIMES THAT WE COULD NOT TURN RIGHT TOWARDS J-92 AND WHAT WERE THEIR PLANS FOR US. CENTER'S ONLY CONCERN SEEMED TO BE TO KEEP US AWAY FROM RESTR AIRSPACE. CENTER KEPT ASKING US WHEN WE COULD TURN RIGHT TOWARDS J-92. WE TOLD THEM IT WOULD BE AT LEAST 15 MI BEFORE WE COULD RIGHT. CENTER THEN GAVE US A LEFT TURN HDG 330 DEG TO AVOID RESTR AIRSPACE. ANOTHER LEFT TURN FOLLOWED SO THAT WE WERE HDG SW. WE NOW HAD WX ON BOTH SIDES OF US AND WERE CLRED TO DEVIATE AS NECESSARY. WE ENCOUNTERED LIGHT TURB AND MOD ICING AND OBSERVED A LARGE OVERHANG AHEAD W/MAMMA. WE DESCENDED TO FL190 AND CONTINUED TO DEVIATE TO REMAIN CLEAR OF CELLS. I WAS BUSY OPERATING ENGINE AND WING ANTI-ICE, TRYING UNSUCCESSFULLY TO CONTACT COMPANY DISPATCH THROUGH SFO COMMERCIAL RADIO (COMMERCIAL RADIO WOULD NOT ANSWER) AND MONITORING THE RADAR. CENTER TOLD US WE HAD TO TURN RIGHT TO AVOID RESTR AIRSPACE. THE CAPT ADVISED CENTER THAT WE COULD NOT TURN RIGHT BECAUSE OF A LARGE CELL. CENTER SAID WE COULD NOT ENTER THE RESTR AIRSPACE AND HAD TO TURN RIGHT. THE CAPT DECLARED AN EMER. CENTER TOLD US TO TURN RIGHT. THE CAPT AGAIN DECLARED AN EMER AND WAS FINALLY ACKNOWLEDGED BY CENTER AND CLRED TO DEVIATE AS NECESSARY. WE WERE THEN TOLD BY CENTER TO TURN 'HARD' RIGHT BECAUSE THERE WAS 'LIVE ROUNDS' AHEAD. WE COMPLIED, DEVIATED FOR 30 MORE MINUTES AND FINALLY LANDED IN LAS. WHY CAN'T CENTER SEE THE WX? WHY COULDN'T CENTER COORDINATE WITH EDWARDS? WE WERE IN TROUBLE AND THEY WERE NO HELP! THIS WAS THE WORST STORM REPORTED IN THE OWENS VALLEY IN THE LAST DECADE.

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.