Narrative:

A westerly departure routing was being flown off of runway 3L at dtw due to cumulo nimbus east of the field. There were also numerous cells to the west of the field. The initial heading was 360 degrees, followed by 300 degree at approximately 5000 ft. Departure control told us to turn to 240 degrees and climb to 13000 ft. We began the climb, but the turn would have put us directly into a cell showing red on the radar. We requested a turn to 190 degrees to bring us east of the cell. We were told 'unable because of traffic, fly 240 degrees.' we said we would be unable and requested 270 degrees to bring us west of the cell. The controller said, 'understand you are declaring a WX emergency. Maintain 10000 ft, assume your own separation.' we returned to 10000 ft and flew 260 degrees. Unfortunately, this heading got us around the first cell, but trapped us between several other cells. I cannot recall the exact sequence that followed, but I believe we requested 210 degrees to fly through the best looking area. ATC told us to fly 190 degrees, intercept the dxo 202 degrees, and climb to 13000 ft. We were just passing between the cells at this point in light turbulence with heavy rain and light hail. I could not respond to the call immediately, because I was turning on the aircraft's ignition system. The controller said something to the effect that he did not receive a response, identify if the transmission was received. In just a few seconds, I responded and adhered to ATC instructions. In my 30 yrs in aviation, I have not experienced such a sequence of responses from a controller. I have requested that the ATC voice and radar tapes be saved for analysis by my airline, the union safety department and detroit departure control. The controller should consider taking some 'fam' rides during the thunderstorm season.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A319 CREW REFUSED TO BE VECTORED INTO A TSTM ON DEP FROM DTW. THE DEP CTLR THEN TOLD THE FLT CREW TO DECLARE A WX EMER AND TOLD THE CREW, 'ASSUME YOUR OWN SEPARATION.'

Narrative: A WESTERLY DEP ROUTING WAS BEING FLOWN OFF OF RWY 3L AT DTW DUE TO CUMULO NIMBUS E OF THE FIELD. THERE WERE ALSO NUMEROUS CELLS TO THE W OF THE FIELD. THE INITIAL HDG WAS 360 DEGS, FOLLOWED BY 300 DEG AT APPROX 5000 FT. DEP CTL TOLD US TO TURN TO 240 DEGS AND CLB TO 13000 FT. WE BEGAN THE CLB, BUT THE TURN WOULD HAVE PUT US DIRECTLY INTO A CELL SHOWING RED ON THE RADAR. WE REQUESTED A TURN TO 190 DEGS TO BRING US E OF THE CELL. WE WERE TOLD 'UNABLE BECAUSE OF TFC, FLY 240 DEGS.' WE SAID WE WOULD BE UNABLE AND REQUESTED 270 DEGS TO BRING US W OF THE CELL. THE CTLR SAID, 'UNDERSTAND YOU ARE DECLARING A WX EMER. MAINTAIN 10000 FT, ASSUME YOUR OWN SEPARATION.' WE RETURNED TO 10000 FT AND FLEW 260 DEGS. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS HDG GOT US AROUND THE FIRST CELL, BUT TRAPPED US BTWN SEVERAL OTHER CELLS. I CANNOT RECALL THE EXACT SEQUENCE THAT FOLLOWED, BUT I BELIEVE WE REQUESTED 210 DEGS TO FLY THROUGH THE BEST LOOKING AREA. ATC TOLD US TO FLY 190 DEGS, INTERCEPT THE DXO 202 DEGS, AND CLB TO 13000 FT. WE WERE JUST PASSING BTWN THE CELLS AT THIS POINT IN LIGHT TURB WITH HVY RAIN AND LIGHT HAIL. I COULD NOT RESPOND TO THE CALL IMMEDIATELY, BECAUSE I WAS TURNING ON THE ACFT'S IGNITION SYS. THE CTLR SAID SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT THAT HE DID NOT RECEIVE A RESPONSE, IDENT IF THE XMISSION WAS RECEIVED. IN JUST A FEW SECONDS, I RESPONDED AND ADHERED TO ATC INSTRUCTIONS. IN MY 30 YRS IN AVIATION, I HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED SUCH A SEQUENCE OF RESPONSES FROM A CTLR. I HAVE REQUESTED THAT THE ATC VOICE AND RADAR TAPES BE SAVED FOR ANALYSIS BY MY AIRLINE, THE UNION SAFETY DEPT AND DETROIT DEP CTL. THE CTLR SHOULD CONSIDER TAKING SOME 'FAM' RIDES DURING THE TSTM SEASON.

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.