Narrative:

Approaching hou from dfw, we were vectored southwest of hou between 2 large thunderstorms for an approach to runway 4. The thunderstorms were moving west to east which suggested to me that the storm to my right was moving across our route of flight as we moved south. As we started the intercept to the ILS course for runway 4, the approach controller informed us that the storms had moved across the field, runway 4 was closed, and we were going to be vectored to runway 12. He told us to make a turn north into the thunderstorm on my west side. At this point, I felt that I was in a 'box canyon' of thunderstorms. We were now experiencing continuous moderate turbulence. I could see that to the south and only a few mi away that there were clear skies, determined by looking at sunlight below base of clouds. We requested a heading of south to avoid area of thunderstorms and turbulence. When we descended to 2700 ft MSL, approach called us several times to tell us to maintain 3000 ft. Although I adjusted the nose attitude to 5 degrees above the horizon, we continued to have difficulty maintaining an altitude of 2700 ft. I think that I made a mistake by failing to inform the controller that we were in area of continuous, moderate turbulence. I could tell by the radio xmissions that the controller was busy vectoring other traffic. We requested a descent to 2000 ft due to WX, the controller told us that he was unable to give it to us. In a few mins, we entered an area of clear skies and smooth air. Visibility was better than 10 mi and we could see that there were no clouds south of the line of thunderstorms. We requested holding and were given a heading of southeast for galveston. However, the controller then informed us that the storms were moving over galveston and turned us to a heading of north 360 degrees. This new heading was taking us right back into the area of turbulence and thunderstorms that we had recently passed through. As we headed north, we requested a turn west for WX. Each time we made this request, we were told to 'standby.' I maintained a north heading until it appeared to me that we were going to re-enter an area of turbulence. I then turned to the west heading 240 degrees. This was an area of clear skies. The first officer informed center that we were going w-sw. We requested holding at palacios which we were approaching. This was an area of clear skies and smooth air. Instead, the controller gave us a vector to eagle lake. As our radar showed thunderstorms at eagle lake, and other aircraft were reporting thunderstorms at eagle lake, we requested a different holding point. The controller told us that he would turn us before eagle lake and set us up for an approach to runway 12 at houston. Following the vectors assigned, we were set up for the ILS runway 12 at houston. Since my radar indicated a thunderstorm at the airport, I asked approach where it was. He told me that it was 4 mi south of the airport. At this point, I decided to divert to college station. The controller only approved 1 heading change at the time I requested it. I believe that the ATC controller was rushing me for his reasons and ignored my requests for holding. I wanted time to analyze the situation and consider an appropriate course of action.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATR72 FLC DEVIATING WX HAS ALTDEV AND LITTLE ATC ASSISTANCE.

Narrative: APCHING HOU FROM DFW, WE WERE VECTORED SW OF HOU BTWN 2 LARGE TSTMS FOR AN APCH TO RWY 4. THE TSTMS WERE MOVING W TO E WHICH SUGGESTED TO ME THAT THE STORM TO MY R WAS MOVING ACROSS OUR RTE OF FLT AS WE MOVED S. AS WE STARTED THE INTERCEPT TO THE ILS COURSE FOR RWY 4, THE APCH CTLR INFORMED US THAT THE STORMS HAD MOVED ACROSS THE FIELD, RWY 4 WAS CLOSED, AND WE WERE GOING TO BE VECTORED TO RWY 12. HE TOLD US TO MAKE A TURN N INTO THE TSTM ON MY W SIDE. AT THIS POINT, I FELT THAT I WAS IN A 'BOX CANYON' OF TSTMS. WE WERE NOW EXPERIENCING CONTINUOUS MODERATE TURB. I COULD SEE THAT TO THE S AND ONLY A FEW MI AWAY THAT THERE WERE CLR SKIES, DETERMINED BY LOOKING AT SUNLIGHT BELOW BASE OF CLOUDS. WE REQUESTED A HEADING OF S TO AVOID AREA OF TSTMS AND TURB. WHEN WE DSNDED TO 2700 FT MSL, APCH CALLED US SEVERAL TIMES TO TELL US TO MAINTAIN 3000 FT. ALTHOUGH I ADJUSTED THE NOSE ATTITUDE TO 5 DEGS ABOVE THE HORIZON, WE CONTINUED TO HAVE DIFFICULTY MAINTAINING AN ALT OF 2700 FT. I THINK THAT I MADE A MISTAKE BY FAILING TO INFORM THE CTLR THAT WE WERE IN AREA OF CONTINUOUS, MODERATE TURB. I COULD TELL BY THE RADIO XMISSIONS THAT THE CTLR WAS BUSY VECTORING OTHER TFC. WE REQUESTED A DSCNT TO 2000 FT DUE TO WX, THE CTLR TOLD US THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO GIVE IT TO US. IN A FEW MINS, WE ENTERED AN AREA OF CLR SKIES AND SMOOTH AIR. VISIBILITY WAS BETTER THAN 10 MI AND WE COULD SEE THAT THERE WERE NO CLOUDS S OF THE LINE OF TSTMS. WE REQUESTED HOLDING AND WERE GIVEN A HEADING OF SE FOR GALVESTON. HOWEVER, THE CTLR THEN INFORMED US THAT THE STORMS WERE MOVING OVER GALVESTON AND TURNED US TO A HEADING OF N 360 DEGS. THIS NEW HEADING WAS TAKING US RIGHT BACK INTO THE AREA OF TURB AND TSTMS THAT WE HAD RECENTLY PASSED THROUGH. AS WE HEADED N, WE REQUESTED A TURN W FOR WX. EACH TIME WE MADE THIS REQUEST, WE WERE TOLD TO 'STANDBY.' I MAINTAINED A N HEADING UNTIL IT APPEARED TO ME THAT WE WERE GOING TO RE-ENTER AN AREA OF TURB. I THEN TURNED TO THE W HEADING 240 DEGS. THIS WAS AN AREA OF CLR SKIES. THE FO INFORMED CTR THAT WE WERE GOING W-SW. WE REQUESTED HOLDING AT PALACIOS WHICH WE WERE APCHING. THIS WAS AN AREA OF CLR SKIES AND SMOOTH AIR. INSTEAD, THE CTLR GAVE US A VECTOR TO EAGLE LAKE. AS OUR RADAR SHOWED TSTMS AT EAGLE LAKE, AND OTHER ACFT WERE RPTING TSTMS AT EAGLE LAKE, WE REQUESTED A DIFFERENT HOLDING POINT. THE CTLR TOLD US THAT HE WOULD TURN US BEFORE EAGLE LAKE AND SET US UP FOR AN APCH TO RWY 12 AT HOUSTON. FOLLOWING THE VECTORS ASSIGNED, WE WERE SET UP FOR THE ILS RWY 12 AT HOUSTON. SINCE MY RADAR INDICATED A TSTM AT THE ARPT, I ASKED APCH WHERE IT WAS. HE TOLD ME THAT IT WAS 4 MI S OF THE ARPT. AT THIS POINT, I DECIDED TO DIVERT TO COLLEGE STATION. THE CTLR ONLY APPROVED 1 HEADING CHANGE AT THE TIME I REQUESTED IT. I BELIEVE THAT THE ATC CTLR WAS RUSHING ME FOR HIS REASONS AND IGNORED MY REQUESTS FOR HOLDING. I WANTED TIME TO ANALYZE THE SIT AND CONSIDER AN APPROPRIATE COURSE OF ACTION.

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.