Narrative:

Air carrier X 90 mi from hmv at FL330 I notified indianapolis center of a large active thunderstorm over hmv and that I would not be able to descend until past it. They first asked me to descend to FL290 which I refused. They then asked if I could accept 310 and I accepted. We were switched to atlanta center approximately 10 mi from hmv. They cleared us to 290 to which I refused because of the active thunderstorm right below us. They (atlanta) said there was a conflict and we had to descend and again I informed them of our situation and said we could turn south but could not descend and that we would be clear after passing hmv. It sounded like ATC panicked and gave us a hard turn southwest about 130 degree off course and changed us back to the previous center. We were shortly clear of the thunderstorm and continued on our way. I was notified to call atlanta center on the telephone. I spoke with the supervisor who said that the controllers were new and panicked when I refused the descent. She said she informed them it was my right as captain to refuse a descent if safety were involved. She said they had a crossing restriction at 'hmv' and that previous aircraft passed without a problem and this thunderstorm caught them by surprise. I believe there was a serious lack of communication on the center's part! I had informed them of the problem 90 mi prior to it and apparently it was not passed on.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X FLC REFUSED DSCNT CLRNC DUE TO WX FACTOR TSTM BELOW FL310.

Narrative: ACR X 90 MI FROM HMV AT FL330 I NOTIFIED INDIANAPOLIS CENTER OF A LARGE ACTIVE TSTM OVER HMV AND THAT I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DSND UNTIL PAST IT. THEY FIRST ASKED ME TO DSND TO FL290 WHICH I REFUSED. THEY THEN ASKED IF I COULD ACCEPT 310 AND I ACCEPTED. WE WERE SWITCHED TO ATLANTA CENTER APPROX 10 MI FROM HMV. THEY CLRED US TO 290 TO WHICH I REFUSED BECAUSE OF THE ACTIVE TSTM RIGHT BELOW US. THEY (ATLANTA) SAID THERE WAS A CONFLICT AND WE HAD TO DSND AND AGAIN I INFORMED THEM OF OUR SITUATION AND SAID WE COULD TURN S BUT COULD NOT DSND AND THAT WE WOULD BE CLR AFTER PASSING HMV. IT SOUNDED LIKE ATC PANICKED AND GAVE US A HARD TURN SW ABOUT 130 DEG OFF COURSE AND CHANGED US BACK TO THE PREVIOUS CENTER. WE WERE SHORTLY CLR OF THE TSTM AND CONTINUED ON OUR WAY. I WAS NOTIFIED TO CALL ATLANTA CENTER ON THE TELEPHONE. I SPOKE WITH THE SUPVR WHO SAID THAT THE CTLRS WERE NEW AND PANICKED WHEN I REFUSED THE DSCNT. SHE SAID SHE INFORMED THEM IT WAS MY RIGHT AS CAPT TO REFUSE A DSCNT IF SAFETY WERE INVOLVED. SHE SAID THEY HAD A XING RESTRICTION AT 'HMV' AND THAT PREVIOUS ACFT PASSED WITHOUT A PROBLEM AND THIS TSTM CAUGHT THEM BY SURPRISE. I BELIEVE THERE WAS A SERIOUS LACK OF COM ON THE CENTER'S PART! I HAD INFORMED THEM OF THE PROBLEM 90 MI PRIOR TO IT AND APPARENTLY IT WAS NOT PASSED ON.

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.