Narrative:

At pm:35 EST local after being handed off from pensacola departure to ZJX sector 10 we were witness to a very disturbing sequence of events between ZJX and an air carrier commuter turbo prep flight attempting to transit an area of thunderstorm activity. The commuter was attempting to deviate around what we described as 'level 6' activity. The controller then issued a vector to the commuter that the commuter would not accept as it would take him directly into the cell. The controller then told the aircraft to either execute the turn or declare an emergency. At that point the commuter pilot asked for assistance and there was no response. The commuter pilot continually asked 'please respond.' we then advised the controller to 'help this guy out' and were given a frequency change. In my estimation, this situation arose from the controller unable to maintain situational awareness. The WX had been building for some time, all aircraft were making minor deviations. However, the WX contained large breaks. From our perspective, the controller should have been able to ascertain the large holes in the WX and plan accordingly. The controller became saturated and failed to operate in a safe manner. As bystanders with our own tasks at hand, we were unable to hear the conclusion to this event, however, I would never want to be treated in this manner (and never have). As a bystander I would have to ask the FAA if we as pilots are going to have to use our emergency authority/authorized to deviate around WX? In this situation, it seems squawking emergency would have compromised the safety of the entire sector. This controller needed help and needs training.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARTCC RADAR CTLR TECHNIQUE ATC COM WAS CRITICIZED BY PIC OF A MIL ACFT LISTENING TO AN ACR ASKING FOR DEV AROUND SEVERE TSTM ACTIVITY.

Narrative: AT PM:35 EST LCL AFTER BEING HANDED OFF FROM PENSACOLA DEP TO ZJX SECTOR 10 WE WERE WITNESS TO A VERY DISTURBING SEQUENCE OF EVENTS BTWN ZJX AND AN ACR COMMUTER TURBO PREP FLT ATTEMPTING TO TRANSIT AN AREA OF TSTM ACTIVITY. THE COMMUTER WAS ATTEMPTING TO DEVIATE AROUND WHAT WE DESCRIBED AS 'LEVEL 6' ACTIVITY. THE CTLR THEN ISSUED A VECTOR TO THE COMMUTER THAT THE COMMUTER WOULD NOT ACCEPT AS IT WOULD TAKE HIM DIRECTLY INTO THE CELL. THE CTLR THEN TOLD THE ACFT TO EITHER EXECUTE THE TURN OR DECLARE AN EMER. AT THAT POINT THE COMMUTER PLT ASKED FOR ASSISTANCE AND THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. THE COMMUTER PLT CONTINUALLY ASKED 'PLEASE RESPOND.' WE THEN ADVISED THE CTLR TO 'HELP THIS GUY OUT' AND WERE GIVEN A FREQ CHANGE. IN MY ESTIMATION, THIS SIT AROSE FROM THE CTLR UNABLE TO MAINTAIN SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. THE WX HAD BEEN BUILDING FOR SOME TIME, ALL ACFT WERE MAKING MINOR DEVS. HOWEVER, THE WX CONTAINED LARGE BREAKS. FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, THE CTLR SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ASCERTAIN THE LARGE HOLES IN THE WX AND PLAN ACCORDINGLY. THE CTLR BECAME SATURATED AND FAILED TO OPERATE IN A SAFE MANNER. AS BYSTANDERS WITH OUR OWN TASKS AT HAND, WE WERE UNABLE TO HEAR THE CONCLUSION TO THIS EVENT, HOWEVER, I WOULD NEVER WANT TO BE TREATED IN THIS MANNER (AND NEVER HAVE). AS A BYSTANDER I WOULD HAVE TO ASK THE FAA IF WE AS PLTS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO USE OUR EMER AUTH TO DEVIATE AROUND WX? IN THIS SIT, IT SEEMS SQUAWKING EMER WOULD HAVE COMPROMISED THE SAFETY OF THE ENTIRE SECTOR. THIS CTLR NEEDED HELP AND NEEDS TRAINING.

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.