Air carrier medium large transport flight crew angry at being vectored for traffic and WX.

Attributes
ACN	149254
Time
Date	199006
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : obk
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 9000
ASRS Report	149254
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While en route from cvg to msp we had 2 phases of a 3 phase center tank fuel pump pop, reset and pop again. Center fuel basically unusable. ATC turned us to a 90 degree heading toward dtw, completely away from where we wanted to go. When asked, ATC said it was for WX. Our WX radar was operational and we had a line of thunderstorms ahead of us. We requested FL350 and could have gone straight through the line, but ATC absolutely refused to do anything but turn us east. After constant questions and traveling 300+ NM the wrong way, we found we were being sequenced for traffic and not for WX. We requested an immediate turn toward msp and told them of our fuel state, which was becoming marginal. We wanted to know what the big plan was. ATC immediately demanded to know if we were declaring an emergency. We said 'no, if you can turn us toward our destination.' ATC treated us as if we had said 'yes;' each controller asked about our fuel. We repeatedly replied that we had no emergency. ATC thinks that they can vector anyone miles out of the way for sequence. I would much rather be in holding 40-50 mi short of my destination than vectored 300+ NM the wrong way.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG FLT CREW ANGRY AT BEING VECTORED FOR TRAFFIC AND WX.

Narrative: WHILE ENRTE FROM CVG TO MSP WE HAD 2 PHASES OF A 3 PHASE CENTER TANK FUEL PUMP POP, RESET AND POP AGAIN. CENTER FUEL BASICALLY UNUSABLE. ATC TURNED US TO A 90 DEG HDG TOWARD DTW, COMPLETELY AWAY FROM WHERE WE WANTED TO GO. WHEN ASKED, ATC SAID IT WAS FOR WX. OUR WX RADAR WAS OPERATIONAL AND WE HAD A LINE OF TSTMS AHEAD OF US. WE REQUESTED FL350 AND COULD HAVE GONE STRAIGHT THROUGH THE LINE, BUT ATC ABSOLUTELY REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING BUT TURN US E. AFTER CONSTANT QUESTIONS AND TRAVELING 300+ NM THE WRONG WAY, WE FOUND WE WERE BEING SEQUENCED FOR TFC AND NOT FOR WX. WE REQUESTED AN IMMEDIATE TURN TOWARD MSP AND TOLD THEM OF OUR FUEL STATE, WHICH WAS BECOMING MARGINAL. WE WANTED TO KNOW WHAT THE BIG PLAN WAS. ATC IMMEDIATELY DEMANDED TO KNOW IF WE WERE DECLARING AN EMER. WE SAID 'NO, IF YOU CAN TURN US TOWARD OUR DEST.' ATC TREATED US AS IF WE HAD SAID 'YES;' EACH CTLR ASKED ABOUT OUR FUEL. WE REPEATEDLY REPLIED THAT WE HAD NO EMER. ATC THINKS THAT THEY CAN VECTOR ANYONE MILES OUT OF THE WAY FOR SEQUENCE. I WOULD MUCH RATHER BE IN HOLDING 40-50 MI SHORT OF MY DEST THAN VECTORED 300+ NM THE WRONG WAY.

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.