B777 captain and approach controller disagree as to severity of convective WX and appropriate aircra...

Attributes
ACN	700932
Time
Date	200606
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl single value : 7000
Environment
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : c90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B777-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Route In Use	arrival star : n/s
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 19000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	700932
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : turbulence non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : wx radar other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

The ord approach controller insisted we turn into cells painting red and magenta on the doppler radar; insisting it was 'only level 2.' both our airborne WX radar and visual inspection of the cumulonimbus clouds indicated otherwise to me; my copilot; the FAA air carrier inspector (former airline pilot and qualified on the aircraft) on the one jump seat and the company dispatcher on the other. To immediately comply with the ATC instructions would have violated both far's and company operating guidance on WX avoidance. The controller claimed there was 'traffic in your face' on 2 different headings when there was negative traffic on TCAS (I fully understand the limitations of TCAS as compared to ATC's radar). It appeared to us; given the limitations of TCAS; that we were encroaching upon the ord departure corridor with no traffic present and the controller wanted us back in her normal arrival corridor with no regard to convective WX/hail. The dialog from the controller was not typical of an ord controller; who are the best in the world. I think a review of the tapes would be beneficial for all involved; including me.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B777 CAPT AND APCH CTLR DISAGREE AS TO SEVERITY OF CONVECTIVE WX AND APPROPRIATE ACFT TRACK IN THE VICINITY OF ORD.

Narrative: THE ORD APCH CTLR INSISTED WE TURN INTO CELLS PAINTING RED AND MAGENTA ON THE DOPPLER RADAR; INSISTING IT WAS 'ONLY LEVEL 2.' BOTH OUR AIRBORNE WX RADAR AND VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE CUMULONIMBUS CLOUDS INDICATED OTHERWISE TO ME; MY COPLT; THE FAA ACR INSPECTOR (FORMER AIRLINE PLT AND QUALIFIED ON THE ACFT) ON THE ONE JUMP SEAT AND THE COMPANY DISPATCHER ON THE OTHER. TO IMMEDIATELY COMPLY WITH THE ATC INSTRUCTIONS WOULD HAVE VIOLATED BOTH FAR'S AND COMPANY OPERATING GUIDANCE ON WX AVOIDANCE. THE CTLR CLAIMED THERE WAS 'TFC IN YOUR FACE' ON 2 DIFFERENT HDGS WHEN THERE WAS NEGATIVE TFC ON TCAS (I FULLY UNDERSTAND THE LIMITATIONS OF TCAS AS COMPARED TO ATC'S RADAR). IT APPEARED TO US; GIVEN THE LIMITATIONS OF TCAS; THAT WE WERE ENCROACHING UPON THE ORD DEP CORRIDOR WITH NO TFC PRESENT AND THE CTLR WANTED US BACK IN HER NORMAL ARR CORRIDOR WITH NO REGARD TO CONVECTIVE WX/HAIL. THE DIALOG FROM THE CTLR WAS NOT TYPICAL OF AN ORD CTLR; WHO ARE THE BEST IN THE WORLD. I THINK A REVIEW OF THE TAPES WOULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR ALL INVOLVED; INCLUDING ME.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.

B777 captain and approach controller disagree as to severity of convective WX and appropriate aircraft track in the vicinity of ord.