Narrative:

Deviating to avoid thunderstorms between orf and phl, had penetrated an area with moderate turbulence, rain and frequent lightning. Radar indicated a similar area of precipitation immediately abeam to the left for the next 10-15 mi. We were heading north when center requested us to turn left heading 270 degrees which we declined to do. He then wanted us to reverse course to 180 degrees, putting us back towards the WX we had just come through, which we also refused to do. He then asked us if we wished to declare an emergency, which we did, in order to avoid a vector through a precipitation area that was shadowing. We were then handed off to ZNY who said we could continue north if necessary. Within 10 mi we turned west, terminated the emergency, and proceeded to phl directly without further incident. At no time do I remember being warned of traffic. There was a severe WX watch and convective segmet out for our general route of flight at the time.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF AN ACR MLG ACFT REFUSED TO TURN 2 TIMES BECAUSE OF WX AND DECLARED AN EMER RESULTING IN DEV FROM ASSIGNED.

Narrative: DEVIATING TO AVOID TSTMS BTWN ORF AND PHL, HAD PENETRATED AN AREA WITH MODERATE TURB, RAIN AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING. RADAR INDICATED A SIMILAR AREA OF PRECIPITATION IMMEDIATELY ABEAM TO THE L FOR THE NEXT 10-15 MI. WE WERE HDG N WHEN CTR REQUESTED US TO TURN L HDG 270 DEGS WHICH WE DECLINED TO DO. HE THEN WANTED US TO REVERSE COURSE TO 180 DEGS, PUTTING US BACK TOWARDS THE WX WE HAD JUST COME THROUGH, WHICH WE ALSO REFUSED TO DO. HE THEN ASKED US IF WE WISHED TO DECLARE AN EMER, WHICH WE DID, IN ORDER TO AVOID A VECTOR THROUGH A PRECIPITATION AREA THAT WAS SHADOWING. WE WERE THEN HANDED OFF TO ZNY WHO SAID WE COULD CONTINUE N IF NECESSARY. WITHIN 10 MI WE TURNED W, TERMINATED THE EMER, AND PROCEEDED TO PHL DIRECTLY WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. AT NO TIME DO I REMEMBER BEING WARNED OF TFC. THERE WAS A SEVERE WX WATCH AND CONVECTIVE SEGMET OUT FOR OUR GENERAL RTE OF FLT AT THE TIME.

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.