Narrative:

Crew departed phl for erie with reported isolated severe WX en route. After a 2 hour delay, the flight was released and initially handed off to departure control. Moderate turbulence was encountered en route; however, the flight crew, through the use of WX radar, avoided the bulk of the WX. Finally after 15 mins, the flight was cleared to climb. At this point, on top of the WX, it was clearly evident a major front along our route of flight would have to be circumnavd or topped at a higher flight level. The flight was repeatedly handed off to various sectors as the crew headed further off the planned course--first ny, then dulles approach. At this point various headings were given, liberal headings approved; i.e., 'deviate as necessary.' finally, when the attempt to circumnav seemed futile, the flight crew reversed course with a saddleback in the front providing a way to cross the front. ZNY was not pleased to receive the flight back, which was orbiting at this point to avoid WX (a maneuver approved by a previous sector). It appeared the sectors were more intent on playing human 'hot potato' with the aircraft than assisting us through the severe WX. The flight finally climbed over the WX and proceeded uneventfully.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT HAD TO DEVIATE DUE TO SEVERE WX FRONT ALONG ROUTE OF FLT.

Narrative: CREW DEPARTED PHL FOR ERIE WITH RPTED ISOLATED SEVERE WX ENRTE. AFTER A 2 HR DELAY, THE FLT WAS RELEASED AND INITIALLY HANDED OFF TO DEP CTL. MODERATE TURB WAS ENCOUNTERED ENRTE; HOWEVER, THE FLT CREW, THROUGH THE USE OF WX RADAR, AVOIDED THE BULK OF THE WX. FINALLY AFTER 15 MINS, THE FLT WAS CLRED TO CLB. AT THIS POINT, ON TOP OF THE WX, IT WAS CLEARLY EVIDENT A MAJOR FRONT ALONG OUR RTE OF FLT WOULD HAVE TO BE CIRCUMNAVD OR TOPPED AT A HIGHER FLT LEVEL. THE FLT WAS REPEATEDLY HANDED OFF TO VARIOUS SECTORS AS THE CREW HEADED FURTHER OFF THE PLANNED COURSE--FIRST NY, THEN DULLES APCH. AT THIS POINT VARIOUS HDGS WERE GIVEN, LIBERAL HDGS APPROVED; I.E., 'DEVIATE AS NECESSARY.' FINALLY, WHEN THE ATTEMPT TO CIRCUMNAV SEEMED FUTILE, THE FLT CREW REVERSED COURSE WITH A SADDLEBACK IN THE FRONT PROVIDING A WAY TO CROSS THE FRONT. ZNY WAS NOT PLEASED TO RECEIVE THE FLT BACK, WHICH WAS ORBITING AT THIS POINT TO AVOID WX (A MANEUVER APPROVED BY A PREVIOUS SECTOR). IT APPEARED THE SECTORS WERE MORE INTENT ON PLAYING HUMAN 'HOT POTATO' WITH THE ACFT THAN ASSISTING US THROUGH THE SEVERE WX. THE FLT FINALLY CLBED OVER THE WX AND PROCEEDED UNEVENTFULLY.

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.