Narrative:

We had departed atl and climbed to 10000 ft off runway 26L. Were vectored north and then turned east, assigned a 090 degree heading. We were looking at a thunderstorm visually and on our radar, and if we completed the turn to 090 degrees, it would be directly ahead. I asked departure if we could stop the turn or climb, and we thought his response was 'you can do both,' and he said 'climb to 14000 ft.' we stopped the turn on a heading of 060 degrees and initiated a climb to 14000 ft. Passing 13000 ft, departure asked for our heading, and I responded with 060 degrees. He said, 'your assigned heading is 090 degrees.' I stated that we understood we could stop turn and climb, and he said 'no, turn right to 090 degrees.' my response was 'that heading will put us into a cell -- we need to go left or right of 090 degrees for WX.' controller said 'we have to fly 090 degrees, besides, I show no WX at your 12 O'clock position.' I replied 'believe me, it's there -- we need to turn.' controller again said 'unable, fly 090 degrees.' at that point I responded unprofessionally with something to the effect that 'your ride will probably be smooth no matter what happens to us.' our TCASII system showed no traffic within 40 mi, so we could not understand why we had to fly into the cell, rather than around it.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR DEVIATES FOR WX UNTIL CTLR INSISTS THEY FLY INTO CONVECTIVE CLOUD.

Narrative: WE HAD DEPARTED ATL AND CLBED TO 10000 FT OFF RWY 26L. WERE VECTORED N AND THEN TURNED E, ASSIGNED A 090 DEG HDG. WE WERE LOOKING AT A TSTM VISUALLY AND ON OUR RADAR, AND IF WE COMPLETED THE TURN TO 090 DEGS, IT WOULD BE DIRECTLY AHEAD. I ASKED DEP IF WE COULD STOP THE TURN OR CLB, AND WE THOUGHT HIS RESPONSE WAS 'YOU CAN DO BOTH,' AND HE SAID 'CLB TO 14000 FT.' WE STOPPED THE TURN ON A HDG OF 060 DEGS AND INITIATED A CLB TO 14000 FT. PASSING 13000 FT, DEP ASKED FOR OUR HDG, AND I RESPONDED WITH 060 DEGS. HE SAID, 'YOUR ASSIGNED HDG IS 090 DEGS.' I STATED THAT WE UNDERSTOOD WE COULD STOP TURN AND CLB, AND HE SAID 'NO, TURN R TO 090 DEGS.' MY RESPONSE WAS 'THAT HDG WILL PUT US INTO A CELL -- WE NEED TO GO L OR R OF 090 DEGS FOR WX.' CTLR SAID 'WE HAVE TO FLY 090 DEGS, BESIDES, I SHOW NO WX AT YOUR 12 O'CLOCK POS.' I REPLIED 'BELIEVE ME, IT'S THERE -- WE NEED TO TURN.' CTLR AGAIN SAID 'UNABLE, FLY 090 DEGS.' AT THAT POINT I RESPONDED UNPROFESSIONALLY WITH SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT THAT 'YOUR RIDE WILL PROBABLY BE SMOOTH NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS TO US.' OUR TCASII SYS SHOWED NO TFC WITHIN 40 MI, SO WE COULD NOT UNDERSTAND WHY WE HAD TO FLY INTO THE CELL, RATHER THAN AROUND IT.

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.