Narrative:

ATC facility: dfw east, west towers. Location: dfw, taxi pre takeoff. We were a wbound departure cleared to taxi to runway 17R at dfw. Level 3 thunderstorms were approaching from the southwest at around 20 KTS. In position runway 17R with thunderstorms within 20 mi of dfw, we were given a departure heading of 185 degrees. We explained that we needed an easterly turn to at least 145 degrees for thunderstorm avoidance. Controller said 'fly 185 degrees and departure will give you an easterly heading within 10 mi.' that wasn't enough for thunderstorm avoidance, plus it required us to accept a clearance we knew was unsafe as issued, relying on a modification in-flight. We were told unable easterly heading due to 'departures off the west side.' this makes no sense in that we were on the east side. Controller said if we want anything other than a 185 degree heading, we'd have to taxi off the runway and go to the west side. This is the first bit of coercion that might push someone to accept a clearance to take off in direct violation. The departure path was in no way clear of thunderstorms. Further, the 'you'll have to taxi off and go to the west side' is presented like and sounds like a penalty. We taxied to runway 18L and by then the storms moving from 220 degrees at 20 KTS were less than 5 mi from the airfield. Again, tower assigned 185 degree heading. We requested at least 135 degrees for thunderstorm avoidance. Tower replied '260 degrees or taxi clear' and added 'the last departures were just fine with just heavy precipitation on climb out.' here is a 2-PRONGED coercion. Again the departure path is not clear and the PIREP is presented as a refutation of what we see in the aircraft on radar, out the window, and in conflict with our procedures. We cleared the runway, an air carrier Y B737 was cleared into position, analyzed the WX and refused the assigned heading, then were ordered to clear the runway. At about that time, air carrier Z B777 landing on runway 18R reported a windshear of 30 KIAS on final and runway 17L issued a windshear alert. Clearly, this is all contrary to the information and persuasion presented by both towers who seem to want takeoffs -- period -- despite the WX and pilot concerns. I believe the towers need a plan to allow WX avoidance headings (alternate between east and west side releases) and further, the reports of what 'the last flight did' should be restr by far regulation to a more professional (and less coercive) controller. 'Latest PIREP reported 5 mins ago by a B737 was moderate rain and light chop on climb out,' rather than 'well, the last few flts have said the ride's ok' -- which in a fast moving thunderstorm situation is largely irrelevant, misleading, and contrary to safe decision making. Tower controllers must realize the box-like effect they create with inflexibility and pressure to take off because 'the guy before you did fine.' these are eventually going to be the final words from tower on a cvr tape we're all going to regret.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IN THE MIDST OF TSTM ACTIVITY AT DFW, AN MD80 CAPT IS DENIED A NON STANDARD DEP TO DEVIATE WX DUE TO OTHER TFC.

Narrative: ATC FACILITY: DFW E, W TWRS. LOCATION: DFW, TAXI PRE TKOF. WE WERE A WBOUND DEP CLRED TO TAXI TO RWY 17R AT DFW. LEVEL 3 TSTMS WERE APCHING FROM THE SW AT AROUND 20 KTS. IN POS RWY 17R WITH TSTMS WITHIN 20 MI OF DFW, WE WERE GIVEN A DEP HDG OF 185 DEGS. WE EXPLAINED THAT WE NEEDED AN EASTERLY TURN TO AT LEAST 145 DEGS FOR TSTM AVOIDANCE. CTLR SAID 'FLY 185 DEGS AND DEP WILL GIVE YOU AN EASTERLY HDG WITHIN 10 MI.' THAT WASN'T ENOUGH FOR TSTM AVOIDANCE, PLUS IT REQUIRED US TO ACCEPT A CLRNC WE KNEW WAS UNSAFE AS ISSUED, RELYING ON A MODIFICATION INFLT. WE WERE TOLD UNABLE EASTERLY HDG DUE TO 'DEPS OFF THE W SIDE.' THIS MAKES NO SENSE IN THAT WE WERE ON THE E SIDE. CTLR SAID IF WE WANT ANYTHING OTHER THAN A 185 DEG HDG, WE'D HAVE TO TAXI OFF THE RWY AND GO TO THE W SIDE. THIS IS THE FIRST BIT OF COERCION THAT MIGHT PUSH SOMEONE TO ACCEPT A CLRNC TO TAKE OFF IN DIRECT VIOLATION. THE DEP PATH WAS IN NO WAY CLR OF TSTMS. FURTHER, THE 'YOU'LL HAVE TO TAXI OFF AND GO TO THE W SIDE' IS PRESENTED LIKE AND SOUNDS LIKE A PENALTY. WE TAXIED TO RWY 18L AND BY THEN THE STORMS MOVING FROM 220 DEGS AT 20 KTS WERE LESS THAN 5 MI FROM THE AIRFIELD. AGAIN, TWR ASSIGNED 185 DEG HDG. WE REQUESTED AT LEAST 135 DEGS FOR TSTM AVOIDANCE. TWR REPLIED '260 DEGS OR TAXI CLR' AND ADDED 'THE LAST DEPS WERE JUST FINE WITH JUST HVY PRECIP ON CLBOUT.' HERE IS A 2-PRONGED COERCION. AGAIN THE DEP PATH IS NOT CLR AND THE PIREP IS PRESENTED AS A REFUTATION OF WHAT WE SEE IN THE ACFT ON RADAR, OUT THE WINDOW, AND IN CONFLICT WITH OUR PROCS. WE CLRED THE RWY, AN ACR Y B737 WAS CLRED INTO POS, ANALYZED THE WX AND REFUSED THE ASSIGNED HDG, THEN WERE ORDERED TO CLR THE RWY. AT ABOUT THAT TIME, ACR Z B777 LNDG ON RWY 18R RPTED A WINDSHEAR OF 30 KIAS ON FINAL AND RWY 17L ISSUED A WINDSHEAR ALERT. CLRLY, THIS IS ALL CONTRARY TO THE INFO AND PERSUASION PRESENTED BY BOTH TWRS WHO SEEM TO WANT TKOFS -- PERIOD -- DESPITE THE WX AND PLT CONCERNS. I BELIEVE THE TWRS NEED A PLAN TO ALLOW WX AVOIDANCE HDGS (ALTERNATE BTWN E AND W SIDE RELEASES) AND FURTHER, THE RPTS OF WHAT 'THE LAST FLT DID' SHOULD BE RESTR BY FAR REG TO A MORE PROFESSIONAL (AND LESS COERCIVE) CTLR. 'LATEST PIREP RPTED 5 MINS AGO BY A B737 WAS MODERATE RAIN AND LIGHT CHOP ON CLBOUT,' RATHER THAN 'WELL, THE LAST FEW FLTS HAVE SAID THE RIDE'S OK' -- WHICH IN A FAST MOVING TSTM SIT IS LARGELY IRRELEVANT, MISLEADING, AND CONTRARY TO SAFE DECISION MAKING. TWR CTLRS MUST REALIZE THE BOX-LIKE EFFECT THEY CREATE WITH INFLEXIBILITY AND PRESSURE TO TAKE OFF BECAUSE 'THE GUY BEFORE YOU DID FINE.' THESE ARE EVENTUALLY GOING TO BE THE FINAL WORDS FROM TWR ON A CVR TAPE WE'RE ALL GOING TO REGRET.

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.