Flight crew of F100 initially refused turn instructions due to WX.

Attributes
ACN	398325
Time
Date	199804
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hpn
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Fokker 100
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	departure other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	398325
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
ASRS Report	398326
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

After departure we flew through a line of rain showers west of the airport. Heavy WX indicated by radar and lightning flash was to the north and south of us. New york approach told us to turn to 090 degrees. Replied unable due to WX. Told again to turn 090 degrees. Said again unable. Told that we had to be either eastbound or sbound. Said unable due to WX and that we may have to declare emergency. Approach said turn right to 090 degrees and descend to 5000 ft. We started slow turn to the east and descended as cleared. ATC asked if we were declaring an emergency. Replied no. ATC said something like I will declare one for you. We turned to 090 degrees and were able to avoid cells with much maneuvering. Were able to comply with all further ATC instructions. Nothing more said about emergencys. ATC could have been more helpful in our attempts in staying away from hazardous WX. Had the WX been just a bit more of an issue, I would have declared an emergency.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF F100 INITIALLY REFUSED TURN INSTRUCTIONS DUE TO WX.

Narrative: AFTER DEP WE FLEW THROUGH A LINE OF RAIN SHOWERS W OF THE ARPT. HVY WX INDICATED BY RADAR AND LIGHTNING FLASH WAS TO THE N AND S OF US. NEW YORK APCH TOLD US TO TURN TO 090 DEGS. REPLIED UNABLE DUE TO WX. TOLD AGAIN TO TURN 090 DEGS. SAID AGAIN UNABLE. TOLD THAT WE HAD TO BE EITHER EBOUND OR SBOUND. SAID UNABLE DUE TO WX AND THAT WE MAY HAVE TO DECLARE EMER. APCH SAID TURN R TO 090 DEGS AND DSND TO 5000 FT. WE STARTED SLOW TURN TO THE E AND DSNDED AS CLRED. ATC ASKED IF WE WERE DECLARING AN EMER. REPLIED NO. ATC SAID SOMETHING LIKE I WILL DECLARE ONE FOR YOU. WE TURNED TO 090 DEGS AND WERE ABLE TO AVOID CELLS WITH MUCH MANEUVERING. WERE ABLE TO COMPLY WITH ALL FURTHER ATC INSTRUCTIONS. NOTHING MORE SAID ABOUT EMERS. ATC COULD HAVE BEEN MORE HELPFUL IN OUR ATTEMPTS IN STAYING AWAY FROM HAZARDOUS WX. HAD THE WX BEEN JUST A BIT MORE OF AN ISSUE, I WOULD HAVE DECLARED AN EMER.

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.