Trying to avoid WX, flight crew could not accept heading clearance. When new sector controller clear...

Attributes
ACN	332005
Time
Date	199603
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewr
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 23000 msl bound upper : 23000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 14500 flight time type : 8000
ASRS Report	332005
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

While on STAR for ewr was told to hold at hpw. Did a 360 degree turn while en route back to hpw. Was asked by ATC to proceed up the STAR toward eno. Line of WX between my position and eno. Proceeded left 20 degrees through a hole. Became path finder. ATC cleared me to deviation around WX, proceed on arrival when able. As I was to enter area ATC requested if I could turn around or descend to FL210. I advised we were unable. ATC said ok and allowed to proceed as cleared. Told to contact next sector. When contacted next sector controller requested right turn back on STAR direct to ood-rbj. STAR as cleared. I told controller we were unable at this time due to WX. He sharply advised me to 'squawk 7700 and declare emergency I was out of his airspace.' I replied, 'are you kidding.' he stated, 'no.' I asked for phone number. I proceeded 5 degrees right as WX permitted. I made no more reference to his comment and circumnaved WX. He then cleared me left direct to rbj. We held at rbj for 45 mins. This is unheard of. I had no emergency. The problem occurred with: 1) ATC unable to communicate between sectors. 2) unprofessional ATC. 3) desire to put ATC problem in my lap, relieve ATC of responsibility (I have asked for tapes to be pulled). 4) no traffic was ever issued. 5) no loss of separation was even communicated with aircraft. 6) no TCASII warning. This was a shortage of personnel problem. If controller could not handle traffic, he should ask for supervisor help and put hold on all traffic.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TRYING TO AVOID WX, FLC COULD NOT ACCEPT HDG CLRNC. WHEN NEW SECTOR CTLR CLRED ACFT TO TURN TO JOIN THE STAR, FLC RESPONDED UNABLE DUE TO WX. CTLR TOLD FLC TO SQUAWK 7700 AND DECLARE AN EMER. FLC DIDN'T COMMENT, BUT CONTINUED TO CIRCUMNAV WX.

Narrative: WHILE ON STAR FOR EWR WAS TOLD TO HOLD AT HPW. DID A 360 DEG TURN WHILE ENRTE BACK TO HPW. WAS ASKED BY ATC TO PROCEED UP THE STAR TOWARD ENO. LINE OF WX BTWN MY POS AND ENO. PROCEEDED L 20 DEGS THROUGH A HOLE. BECAME PATH FINDER. ATC CLRED ME TO DEV AROUND WX, PROCEED ON ARR WHEN ABLE. AS I WAS TO ENTER AREA ATC REQUESTED IF I COULD TURN AROUND OR DSND TO FL210. I ADVISED WE WERE UNABLE. ATC SAID OK AND ALLOWED TO PROCEED AS CLRED. TOLD TO CONTACT NEXT SECTOR. WHEN CONTACTED NEXT SECTOR CTLR REQUESTED R TURN BACK ON STAR DIRECT TO OOD-RBJ. STAR AS CLRED. I TOLD CTLR WE WERE UNABLE AT THIS TIME DUE TO WX. HE SHARPLY ADVISED ME TO 'SQUAWK 7700 AND DECLARE EMER I WAS OUT OF HIS AIRSPACE.' I REPLIED, 'ARE YOU KIDDING.' HE STATED, 'NO.' I ASKED FOR PHONE NUMBER. I PROCEEDED 5 DEGS R AS WX PERMITTED. I MADE NO MORE REF TO HIS COMMENT AND CIRCUMNAVED WX. HE THEN CLRED ME L DIRECT TO RBJ. WE HELD AT RBJ FOR 45 MINS. THIS IS UNHEARD OF. I HAD NO EMER. THE PROB OCCURRED WITH: 1) ATC UNABLE TO COMMUNICATE BTWN SECTORS. 2) UNPROFESSIONAL ATC. 3) DESIRE TO PUT ATC PROB IN MY LAP, RELIEVE ATC OF RESPONSIBILITY (I HAVE ASKED FOR TAPES TO BE PULLED). 4) NO TFC WAS EVER ISSUED. 5) NO LOSS OF SEPARATION WAS EVEN COMMUNICATED WITH ACFT. 6) NO TCASII WARNING. THIS WAS A SHORTAGE OF PERSONNEL PROB. IF CTLR COULD NOT HANDLE TFC, HE SHOULD ASK FOR SUPVR HELP AND PUT HOLD ON ALL TFC.

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.