Narrative:

Approximately 50 mi west of daggett (dag) on an easterly heading, our radar showed WX at dag and slightly north and south, so we requested deviation to the left (north) off course around it. ZLA checked, but was unable to approve it due to restr areas north of dad being hot. Continuing eastbound, we then requested to circumvent the WX south near or just south of hector (hec). Deviate as necessary was approved, and we had to turn almost due south to get around the first cell that was west of hec. As we turned easterly, aiming just south of hec for WX avoidance, center said to turn left to 030 degrees, but we were unable due to WX. He finally said 'come right, do what you need to do, maybe a 360 degrees. You're in the hot restr area, squawk 7700.' in further discussion with ATC during our turn right, we turned 180 degrees and headed west, away from the restr area and WX, eventually getting vectors back around to the north of dag, our request in the first place. Supplemental information from acn 591957: as we proceeded around the south of the WX the controller seemed concerned over our course he asked if we could turn to 030 degrees and we said no 050 degrees was best we could do. He said make a right turn. After we did, he seemed confused and concerned again and said we were flying into a hot restr area. He would not let us go straight. We couldn't go left, so we went right, at his instructions. He said to squawk 7700 (we did not declare an emergency). He then took us around the north side of WX where we were going in the first place. This controller seemed unable to deal with the normal occurrence of WX deviations, and his instructions put us in harm's way.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZLA CTLR ADVISES B737-500 FLT CREW THAT THEY HAVE ENTERED A RESTR AREA AFTER APPROVED WX DEV, AND TO SQUAWK 7700.

Narrative: APPROX 50 MI W OF DAGGETT (DAG) ON AN EASTERLY HEADING, OUR RADAR SHOWED WX AT DAG AND SLIGHTLY N AND S, SO WE REQUESTED DEV TO THE L (N) OFF COURSE AROUND IT. ZLA CHKED, BUT WAS UNABLE TO APPROVE IT DUE TO RESTR AREAS N OF DAD BEING HOT. CONTINUING EBOUND, WE THEN REQUESTED TO CIRCUMVENT THE WX S NEAR OR JUST S OF HECTOR (HEC). DEVIATE AS NECESSARY WAS APPROVED, AND WE HAD TO TURN ALMOST DUE S TO GET AROUND THE FIRST CELL THAT WAS W OF HEC. AS WE TURNED EASTERLY, AIMING JUST S OF HEC FOR WX AVOIDANCE, CTR SAID TO TURN L TO 030 DEGS, BUT WE WERE UNABLE DUE TO WX. HE FINALLY SAID 'COME R, DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO, MAYBE A 360 DEGS. YOU'RE IN THE HOT RESTR AREA, SQUAWK 7700.' IN FURTHER DISCUSSION WITH ATC DURING OUR TURN R, WE TURNED 180 DEGS AND HEADED W, AWAY FROM THE RESTR AREA AND WX, EVENTUALLY GETTING VECTORS BACK AROUND TO THE N OF DAG, OUR REQUEST IN THE FIRST PLACE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 591957: AS WE PROCEEDED AROUND THE S OF THE WX THE CTLR SEEMED CONCERNED OVER OUR COURSE HE ASKED IF WE COULD TURN TO 030 DEGS AND WE SAID NO 050 DEGS WAS BEST WE COULD DO. HE SAID MAKE A R TURN. AFTER WE DID, HE SEEMED CONFUSED AND CONCERNED AGAIN AND SAID WE WERE FLYING INTO A HOT RESTR AREA. HE WOULD NOT LET US GO STRAIGHT. WE COULDN'T GO L, SO WE WENT R, AT HIS INSTRUCTIONS. HE SAID TO SQUAWK 7700 (WE DID NOT DECLARE AN EMER). HE THEN TOOK US AROUND THE N SIDE OF WX WHERE WE WERE GOING IN THE FIRST PLACE. THIS CTLR SEEMED UNABLE TO DEAL WITH THE NORMAL OCCURRENCE OF WX DEVS, AND HIS INSTRUCTIONS PUT US IN HARM'S WAY.

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.