Narrative:

We departed runway 28 at bwi. There was a small line of cells (visual and radar) to the north of our flight path. Bwi departure gave us a turn to the north shortly after takeoff. (First officer flying) I told ATC we could not take a turn to the right 'because of WX.' I told him we needed to go west approximately 30- 35 NM to get around the line. ATC said that was impossible and that the aircraft ahead of us was proceeding north and was only encountering rain. (We were proceeding west at 5000 ft). To our north, we could see rapidly building clouds through the mid-teens to low 20000 ft levels with heavy lightning. Also I could not paint a clear path through the line with airborne radar. ATC again told us to turn north. I told ATC there was 'heavy lightning' and there was no way we could take a turn north. ATC then said we would have to return to bwi. ATC gave us a clearance 'left turn direct bwi, descend and maintain 3000 ft.' we started a left turn and I questioned ATC about the descent to 3000 ft. ATC then changed the altitude to 'maintain 5000 ft.' we were then vectored uneventfully around the east side of the WX and on course to our destination. In over 30 yrs of flying (GA, military, and airline), I have never had an ATC controller try so hard to intimidate me into flying into a thunderstorm. I really thought for a while that I was going to have to declare an emergency to avoid ATC's vectors into a thunderstorm.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-400 CAPT RPTS REFUSING A CLRNC THAT WOULD HAVE TAKEN THE ACFT INTO A LINE OF TSTMS. AFTER A VERBAL EXCHANGE OVER THE RADIO WITH ATC, THE CREW EVENTUALLY RECEIVED VECTORS AROUND THE SIDE OF THE TSTMS.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED RWY 28 AT BWI. THERE WAS A SMALL LINE OF CELLS (VISUAL AND RADAR) TO THE N OF OUR FLT PATH. BWI DEP GAVE US A TURN TO THE N SHORTLY AFTER TKOF. (FO FLYING) I TOLD ATC WE COULD NOT TAKE A TURN TO THE R 'BECAUSE OF WX.' I TOLD HIM WE NEEDED TO GO W APPROX 30- 35 NM TO GET AROUND THE LINE. ATC SAID THAT WAS IMPOSSIBLE AND THAT THE ACFT AHEAD OF US WAS PROCEEDING N AND WAS ONLY ENCOUNTERING RAIN. (WE WERE PROCEEDING W AT 5000 FT). TO OUR N, WE COULD SEE RAPIDLY BUILDING CLOUDS THROUGH THE MID-TEENS TO LOW 20000 FT LEVELS WITH HVY LIGHTNING. ALSO I COULD NOT PAINT A CLR PATH THROUGH THE LINE WITH AIRBORNE RADAR. ATC AGAIN TOLD US TO TURN N. I TOLD ATC THERE WAS 'HVY LIGHTNING' AND THERE WAS NO WAY WE COULD TAKE A TURN N. ATC THEN SAID WE WOULD HAVE TO RETURN TO BWI. ATC GAVE US A CLRNC 'L TURN DIRECT BWI, DSND AND MAINTAIN 3000 FT.' WE STARTED A L TURN AND I QUESTIONED ATC ABOUT THE DSCNT TO 3000 FT. ATC THEN CHANGED THE ALT TO 'MAINTAIN 5000 FT.' WE WERE THEN VECTORED UNEVENTFULLY AROUND THE E SIDE OF THE WX AND ON COURSE TO OUR DEST. IN OVER 30 YRS OF FLYING (GA, MIL, AND AIRLINE), I HAVE NEVER HAD AN ATC CTLR TRY SO HARD TO INTIMIDATE ME INTO FLYING INTO A TSTM. I REALLY THOUGHT FOR A WHILE THAT I WAS GOING TO HAVE TO DECLARE AN EMER TO AVOID ATC'S VECTORS INTO A TSTM.

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.