B737 crew departed ewr with thunderstorms present. They were cleared to deviate as necessary. The N90 controller then issued alternate instructions to avoid traffic.

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Attributes
ACN	622312
Time
Date	200307
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewr.airport
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl single value : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Rain Turbulence Thunderstorm other
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure : on vectors departure other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 19000 flight time type : 4500
ASRS Report	622312
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar aircraft equipment : tcas aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : wx radar other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : separated traffic controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

Departing ewr with thunderstorms in area, ATC turned us to a heading to avoid WX, but we requested further turn to avoid WX seen on our radar. ATC approved request saying 'deviate as necessary, when able fly direct coate.' we deviated to avoid WX, but apparently went too far to the east as ATC then said 'turn back towards the left, you're impacting departure traffic.' we started a turn towards the left, despite the radar showing considerable red in that direction. Then ATC said to us, in a somewhat excited voice, 'turn left immediately to heading 330 degrees (I think)!' we immediately complied, despite the ugly picture on the radar. ATC said there was traffic in our vicinity, which we saw on our TCASII. We did not get a TCASII alert of any kind. I feel we did nothing that wasn't approved by ATC since we were told to deviate as necessary. ATC was extremely busy with multiple aircraft deviating to avoid numerous thunderstorms, and I think they were just overwhelmed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CREW DEPARTED EWR WITH TSTMS PRESENT. THEY WERE CLRED TO DEVIATE AS NECESSARY. THE N90 CTLR THEN ISSUED ALTERNATE INSTRUCTIONS TO AVOID TFC.

Narrative: DEPARTING EWR WITH TSTMS IN AREA, ATC TURNED US TO A HDG TO AVOID WX, BUT WE REQUESTED FURTHER TURN TO AVOID WX SEEN ON OUR RADAR. ATC APPROVED REQUEST SAYING 'DEVIATE AS NECESSARY, WHEN ABLE FLY DIRECT COATE.' WE DEVIATED TO AVOID WX, BUT APPARENTLY WENT TOO FAR TO THE E AS ATC THEN SAID 'TURN BACK TOWARDS THE L, YOU'RE IMPACTING DEP TFC.' WE STARTED A TURN TOWARDS THE L, DESPITE THE RADAR SHOWING CONSIDERABLE RED IN THAT DIRECTION. THEN ATC SAID TO US, IN A SOMEWHAT EXCITED VOICE, 'TURN L IMMEDIATELY TO HDG 330 DEGS (I THINK)!' WE IMMEDIATELY COMPLIED, DESPITE THE UGLY PICTURE ON THE RADAR. ATC SAID THERE WAS TFC IN OUR VICINITY, WHICH WE SAW ON OUR TCASII. WE DID NOT GET A TCASII ALERT OF ANY KIND. I FEEL WE DID NOTHING THAT WASN'T APPROVED BY ATC SINCE WE WERE TOLD TO DEVIATE AS NECESSARY. ATC WAS EXTREMELY BUSY WITH MULTIPLE ACFT DEVIATING TO AVOID NUMEROUS TSTMS, AND I THINK THEY WERE JUST OVERWHELMED.

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.