Narrative:

I was on an IFR flight plan from elp to fzz via V198 sso V94 totec V16 pxr. I had received a WX briefing by phone in el paso and was told the only local thunderstorm call was east of deming VORTAC and moving east. I departed and found very threatening thunderstorms near columbus VORTAC to the northwest, north, and northeast. I requested a deviation to the southwest which was granted. The thunderstorms started to appear to the west with lightning and rainshowers. The controller asked me to turn north to avoid the tombstone B MOA which was apparently 'hot' -- I declined on account of strong thunderstorms and told the controller I was willing to make a 180 degree turn and return to elp. He then told me to climb to 11000 ft and cleared me to continue on my present swestern heading. The next controller could not receive my transmission and used a airlines flight as a relay station. He told me to deviate to the north to avoid the tombstone MOA B and I again declined and volunteered to turn around to el paso. After several more calls I was told to continue on the present heading and I asked for a new route to douglas (dug) VORTAC, V66 to tucson, then to phoenix which was granted. I was aware that I had penetrated the MOA tombstone B airspace. I feel this was not well coordinated by ZAB controllers, and placed me in an uncomfortable dilemma between complying with controllers who wanted me to fly into thunderstorms and my flight to avoid them and turn around if necessary. Also the WX briefer admitted he had no radar coverage of my flight route, so he relied on local observations.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT ENTERS 'HOT' MOA WHILE DEVIATING WX.

Narrative: I WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM ELP TO FZZ VIA V198 SSO V94 TOTEC V16 PXR. I HAD RECEIVED A WX BRIEFING BY PHONE IN EL PASO AND WAS TOLD THE ONLY LCL TSTM CALL WAS E OF DEMING VORTAC AND MOVING E. I DEPARTED AND FOUND VERY THREATENING TSTMS NEAR COLUMBUS VORTAC TO THE NW, N, AND NE. I REQUESTED A DEV TO THE SW WHICH WAS GRANTED. THE TSTMS STARTED TO APPEAR TO THE W WITH LIGHTNING AND RAINSHOWERS. THE CTLR ASKED ME TO TURN N TO AVOID THE TOMBSTONE B MOA WHICH WAS APPARENTLY 'HOT' -- I DECLINED ON ACCOUNT OF STRONG TSTMS AND TOLD THE CTLR I WAS WILLING TO MAKE A 180 DEG TURN AND RETURN TO ELP. HE THEN TOLD ME TO CLB TO 11000 FT AND CLRED ME TO CONTINUE ON MY PRESENT SWESTERN HDG. THE NEXT CTLR COULD NOT RECEIVE MY XMISSION AND USED A AIRLINES FLT AS A RELAY STATION. HE TOLD ME TO DEVIATE TO THE N TO AVOID THE TOMBSTONE MOA B AND I AGAIN DECLINED AND VOLUNTEERED TO TURN AROUND TO EL PASO. AFTER SEVERAL MORE CALLS I WAS TOLD TO CONTINUE ON THE PRESENT HDG AND I ASKED FOR A NEW RTE TO DOUGLAS (DUG) VORTAC, V66 TO TUCSON, THEN TO PHOENIX WHICH WAS GRANTED. I WAS AWARE THAT I HAD PENETRATED THE MOA TOMBSTONE B AIRSPACE. I FEEL THIS WAS NOT WELL COORDINATED BY ZAB CTLRS, AND PLACED ME IN AN UNCOMFORTABLE DILEMMA BTWN COMPLYING WITH CTLRS WHO WANTED ME TO FLY INTO TSTMS AND MY FLT TO AVOID THEM AND TURN AROUND IF NECESSARY. ALSO THE WX BRIEFER ADMITTED HE HAD NO RADAR COVERAGE OF MY FLT RTE, SO HE RELIED ON LCL OBSERVATIONS.

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.