Narrative:

At approximately 150 NM distance, we began to 'paint' convective activity ahead. Initially it was thought to be sufficiently scattered to not present any problem navigating through. We sent a message to dispatch. They returned a message with a new re-route. ATC (ZME) would not allow any re-route. Meantime as we closed in on WX it became obvious that WX was closing up and could not be safely negotiated. I asked for deviation clearance, ATC only offered limited turns. ATC wanted me back on course as soon as possible. I needed more turns than were being permitted. No reason for lack of assistance was given, ie, traffic conflict, prohibited airspace, etc. Eventually I decided I had to safeguard the flight, and declared an emergency in order to use my captain's authority/authorized. I announced my intentions, and turned left to circumnav the echoes on my radar. I was using published company avoidance guidelines throughout. Once clear of convective WX I de-declared emergency status, and accepted re-routing to iad. How come not the slightest level of cooperation? This is not what we have come to expect.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMER AUTH EXERCISED WHEN ARTCC WOULD NOT COOPERATE WITH WX AVOIDANCE MANEUVERING.

Narrative: AT APPROX 150 NM DISTANCE, WE BEGAN TO 'PAINT' CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY AHEAD. INITIALLY IT WAS THOUGHT TO BE SUFFICIENTLY SCATTERED TO NOT PRESENT ANY PROB NAVING THROUGH. WE SENT A MESSAGE TO DISPATCH. THEY RETURNED A MESSAGE WITH A NEW RE-ROUTE. ATC (ZME) WOULD NOT ALLOW ANY RE-ROUTE. MEANTIME AS WE CLOSED IN ON WX IT BECAME OBVIOUS THAT WX WAS CLOSING UP AND COULD NOT BE SAFELY NEGOTIATED. I ASKED FOR DEV CLRNC, ATC ONLY OFFERED LIMITED TURNS. ATC WANTED ME BACK ON COURSE ASAP. I NEEDED MORE TURNS THAN WERE BEING PERMITTED. NO REASON FOR LACK OF ASSISTANCE WAS GIVEN, IE, TFC CONFLICT, PROHIBITED AIRSPACE, ETC. EVENTUALLY I DECIDED I HAD TO SAFEGUARD THE FLT, AND DECLARED AN EMER IN ORDER TO USE MY CAPT'S AUTH. I ANNOUNCED MY INTENTIONS, AND TURNED L TO CIRCUMNAV THE ECHOES ON MY RADAR. I WAS USING PUBLISHED COMPANY AVOIDANCE GUIDELINES THROUGHOUT. ONCE CLR OF CONVECTIVE WX I DE-DECLARED EMER STATUS, AND ACCEPTED RE-ROUTING TO IAD. HOW COME NOT THE SLIGHTEST LEVEL OF COOPERATION? THIS IS NOT WHAT WE HAVE COME TO EXPECT.

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.