Narrative:

On downwind for runway 35R heading 170 degrees, 9000 ft. Previous controller said expect turn to final at fqf. Approximately 1 mi south of fqf was a cell painting red on radar. Within 3 mi of abeam point of fqf, we tried to call approach. He was very busy so approximately 1.5 mi north of fqf we said we needed a turn. Controller said no, it would be 4 mi for turn. We said unable and he said climb to 12000 ft then turn to 260 degree heading. We started the climb but were unable to climb to 12000 ft before the turn so we turned 15 degrees right to avoid cell and advised controller. He came back with turn to 260 degrees and climb to 13000 ft. We complied and asked what the plan for us was. He remarked to plan on holding or going to another airport. We ended up being vectored for visual to runway 35R. The controller was very unprofessional and hard to deal with. We talked to the supervisor after landing and didn't find him very easy to talk to either. No deviation was to be filed. Supplemental information from acn 519310: the controller was angry that we wanted the turn abeam fqf. He told us that we should have let him know sooner that we wanted a turn. However, due to the fact that the previous controller told us to expect a turn at fqf, we expected the current controller was planning to turn us there. Due to radio congestion, we were unable to contact the current controller until the point we needed to turn.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CREW ON A DOWNWIND VECTOR TO LAND DEN, FIND THE CTLR UNCOOPERATIVE AFTER REQUESTING A TURN TO AVOID SEVERE WX.

Narrative: ON DOWNWIND FOR RWY 35R HDG 170 DEGS, 9000 FT. PREVIOUS CTLR SAID EXPECT TURN TO FINAL AT FQF. APPROX 1 MI S OF FQF WAS A CELL PAINTING RED ON RADAR. WITHIN 3 MI OF ABEAM POINT OF FQF, WE TRIED TO CALL APCH. HE WAS VERY BUSY SO APPROX 1.5 MI N OF FQF WE SAID WE NEEDED A TURN. CTLR SAID NO, IT WOULD BE 4 MI FOR TURN. WE SAID UNABLE AND HE SAID CLB TO 12000 FT THEN TURN TO 260 DEG HDG. WE STARTED THE CLB BUT WERE UNABLE TO CLB TO 12000 FT BEFORE THE TURN SO WE TURNED 15 DEGS R TO AVOID CELL AND ADVISED CTLR. HE CAME BACK WITH TURN TO 260 DEGS AND CLB TO 13000 FT. WE COMPLIED AND ASKED WHAT THE PLAN FOR US WAS. HE REMARKED TO PLAN ON HOLDING OR GOING TO ANOTHER ARPT. WE ENDED UP BEING VECTORED FOR VISUAL TO RWY 35R. THE CTLR WAS VERY UNPROFESSIONAL AND HARD TO DEAL WITH. WE TALKED TO THE SUPVR AFTER LNDG AND DIDN'T FIND HIM VERY EASY TO TALK TO EITHER. NO DEV WAS TO BE FILED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 519310: THE CTLR WAS ANGRY THAT WE WANTED THE TURN ABEAM FQF. HE TOLD US THAT WE SHOULD HAVE LET HIM KNOW SOONER THAT WE WANTED A TURN. HOWEVER, DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE PREVIOUS CTLR TOLD US TO EXPECT A TURN AT FQF, WE EXPECTED THE CURRENT CTLR WAS PLANNING TO TURN US THERE. DUE TO RADIO CONGESTION, WE WERE UNABLE TO CONTACT THE CURRENT CTLR UNTIL THE POINT WE NEEDED TO TURN.

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.