Medium large transport will not accept vector to avoid 056 due to thunderstorms.

Attributes
ACN	280274
Time
Date	199408
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bwi airport : dca
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dca
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	280274
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Upon reaching bwi VOR we were cleared the bwi 255 degree radial by washington approach (124.2). This course was not acceptable because of level 5 thunderstorms that stretched beyond dca. The controller demanded we turn directly into the thunderstorms to avoid P-56 airspace. We declined! He then made this demand 3 or 4 more times which we refused for safety of flight reasons! The controller became more arrogant to no avail. We proceeded to avoid the severe WX and later landed in dca! Had this controller worked a less-experienced crew that would have accepted his harassment and demands the outcome of the flight would have been severely compromised!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG WILL NOT ACCEPT VECTOR TO AVOID 056 DUE TO TSTMS.

Narrative: UPON REACHING BWI VOR WE WERE CLRED THE BWI 255 DEG RADIAL BY WASHINGTON APCH (124.2). THIS COURSE WAS NOT ACCEPTABLE BECAUSE OF LEVEL 5 TSTMS THAT STRETCHED BEYOND DCA. THE CTLR DEMANDED WE TURN DIRECTLY INTO THE TSTMS TO AVOID P-56 AIRSPACE. WE DECLINED! HE THEN MADE THIS DEMAND 3 OR 4 MORE TIMES WHICH WE REFUSED FOR SAFETY OF FLT REASONS! THE CTLR BECAME MORE ARROGANT TO NO AVAIL. WE PROCEEDED TO AVOID THE SEVERE WX AND LATER LANDED IN DCA! HAD THIS CTLR WORKED A LESS-EXPERIENCED CREW THAT WOULD HAVE ACCEPTED HIS HARASSMENT AND DEMANDS THE OUTCOME OF THE FLT WOULD HAVE BEEN SEVERELY COMPROMISED!

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.