Narrative:

My family and I were en route to ZZZ1 on an IFR flight plan at FL250. We experienced buildups on our course and requested deviations to avoid the WX. The first ARTCC controller was accommodating and allowed deviations to the left; or east which took us around various layers of activity. We were handed off to another center controller. After the handoff I notified the new controller that I was deviating to the east off of my direct course to ZZZ. The controller approved and a few mins later I said I was clear of the buildup and headed back on course direct to ZZZ (which was approximately 125 degrees). The controller responded that I would have to turn to a heading of 190 degrees. When I said I was unable due to WX; which I had just circumnavigated; the controller then said I needed to turn to 90 degrees. I said that was also not possible because it would turn me into another buildup. The controller became testy and said there was not that kind of WX up there. I informed the controller that I was flying in a virtual canyon of buildups and that I would be clear in 10-20 mi. I also said that I was on minimum fuel because of the length of the trip and did not have an alternate on file. At this point the controller virtually lost all composure - questioned me whether I was declaring an emergency due to minimum fuel; which I responded that I was not declaring an emergency and that I would need to file an alternate for a fuel stop. The controller then demanded that I turn to 220 degrees and then gave me a telephone number at center to call. These actions were very humiliating and disorienting to the flight. I turned to 220 degrees which turned me into turbulent buildups and rain which was certainly depicted on my doppler screen. I was too afraid to argue with the controller at this point and continued the flight in IMC through rain and turbulence. The controller then told me to turn to abc and prepare for the xyz arrival. I then ask the controller to check and make sure that the information was correct because I was not a turbine; in fact I was a piston and should be routed to ZZZ2 and the mno arrival. The controller then turned me to ZZZ2 and that arrival and then demanded whether I was declaring an alternate; which I did. I did this to replenish fuel and regain my composure. The controller then demanded to know my ETA. I gave it in local time; but the controller demanded UTC and then notified me that I was to call the center phone the minute I landed. I did not say another word to this controller until the controller handed me off. Upon landing at ZZZ2 at XA35 I called the number delineated above and spoke with someone. I explained my situation and he said the controller was dealing with a life flight. I told him that I had been flying 37 yrs and had never experienced someone like that losing their composure. He said he understood and twice assured me this was the end of the incident. I suggested to him during the course of the conversation that this controller was too prickly; even obnoxious and had caused a great deal of distress in my cockpit. I also mentioned that I fly this airspace regularly but in this instance; the controller in fact was very effective in distracting a PIC. Tonight; after pondering today's incident I felt it necessary to complete the NASA form and notify the proper auths because our airspace does not need to be controled by over-caffeinated controllers who lose their composure in tight; yet regular situations. The controller today needed to focus on understanding the real situation reported by a pilot and communicating properly with the pilot what the situation was; what was required and what the options were; rather than losing complete composure. I hope that the controller gets more training at the console; particularly in give and take communication.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A IFR PA24 PILOT AT FL250 REPORTS AN UNCOOPERATIVE RADAR CTLR WHILE REQUESTING DEVIATIONS TO AVOID TSTM.

Narrative: MY FAMILY AND I WERE ENRTE TO ZZZ1 ON AN IFR FLT PLAN AT FL250. WE EXPERIENCED BUILDUPS ON OUR COURSE AND REQUESTED DEVS TO AVOID THE WX. THE FIRST ARTCC CTLR WAS ACCOMMODATING AND ALLOWED DEVS TO THE L; OR E WHICH TOOK US AROUND VARIOUS LAYERS OF ACTIVITY. WE WERE HANDED OFF TO ANOTHER CTR CTLR. AFTER THE HDOF I NOTIFIED THE NEW CTLR THAT I WAS DEVIATING TO THE E OFF OF MY DIRECT COURSE TO ZZZ. THE CTLR APPROVED AND A FEW MINS LATER I SAID I WAS CLR OF THE BUILDUP AND HEADED BACK ON COURSE DIRECT TO ZZZ (WHICH WAS APPROX 125 DEGS). THE CTLR RESPONDED THAT I WOULD HAVE TO TURN TO A HDG OF 190 DEGS. WHEN I SAID I WAS UNABLE DUE TO WX; WHICH I HAD JUST CIRCUMNAVIGATED; THE CTLR THEN SAID I NEEDED TO TURN TO 90 DEGS. I SAID THAT WAS ALSO NOT POSSIBLE BECAUSE IT WOULD TURN ME INTO ANOTHER BUILDUP. THE CTLR BECAME TESTY AND SAID THERE WAS NOT THAT KIND OF WX UP THERE. I INFORMED THE CTLR THAT I WAS FLYING IN A VIRTUAL CANYON OF BUILDUPS AND THAT I WOULD BE CLR IN 10-20 MI. I ALSO SAID THAT I WAS ON MINIMUM FUEL BECAUSE OF THE LENGTH OF THE TRIP AND DID NOT HAVE AN ALTERNATE ON FILE. AT THIS POINT THE CTLR VIRTUALLY LOST ALL COMPOSURE - QUESTIONED ME WHETHER I WAS DECLARING AN EMER DUE TO MINIMUM FUEL; WHICH I RESPONDED THAT I WAS NOT DECLARING AN EMER AND THAT I WOULD NEED TO FILE AN ALTERNATE FOR A FUEL STOP. THE CTLR THEN DEMANDED THAT I TURN TO 220 DEGS AND THEN GAVE ME A TELEPHONE NUMBER AT CTR TO CALL. THESE ACTIONS WERE VERY HUMILIATING AND DISORIENTING TO THE FLT. I TURNED TO 220 DEGS WHICH TURNED ME INTO TURBULENT BUILDUPS AND RAIN WHICH WAS CERTAINLY DEPICTED ON MY DOPPLER SCREEN. I WAS TOO AFRAID TO ARGUE WITH THE CTLR AT THIS POINT AND CONTINUED THE FLT IN IMC THROUGH RAIN AND TURB. THE CTLR THEN TOLD ME TO TURN TO ABC AND PREPARE FOR THE XYZ ARR. I THEN ASK THE CTLR TO CHK AND MAKE SURE THAT THE INFO WAS CORRECT BECAUSE I WAS NOT A TURBINE; IN FACT I WAS A PISTON AND SHOULD BE ROUTED TO ZZZ2 AND THE MNO ARR. THE CTLR THEN TURNED ME TO ZZZ2 AND THAT ARR AND THEN DEMANDED WHETHER I WAS DECLARING AN ALTERNATE; WHICH I DID. I DID THIS TO REPLENISH FUEL AND REGAIN MY COMPOSURE. THE CTLR THEN DEMANDED TO KNOW MY ETA. I GAVE IT IN LCL TIME; BUT THE CTLR DEMANDED UTC AND THEN NOTIFIED ME THAT I WAS TO CALL THE CTR PHONE THE MINUTE I LANDED. I DID NOT SAY ANOTHER WORD TO THIS CTLR UNTIL THE CTLR HANDED ME OFF. UPON LNDG AT ZZZ2 AT XA35 I CALLED THE NUMBER DELINEATED ABOVE AND SPOKE WITH SOMEONE. I EXPLAINED MY SITUATION AND HE SAID THE CTLR WAS DEALING WITH A LIFE FLT. I TOLD HIM THAT I HAD BEEN FLYING 37 YRS AND HAD NEVER EXPERIENCED SOMEONE LIKE THAT LOSING THEIR COMPOSURE. HE SAID HE UNDERSTOOD AND TWICE ASSURED ME THIS WAS THE END OF THE INCIDENT. I SUGGESTED TO HIM DURING THE COURSE OF THE CONVERSATION THAT THIS CTLR WAS TOO PRICKLY; EVEN OBNOXIOUS AND HAD CAUSED A GREAT DEAL OF DISTRESS IN MY COCKPIT. I ALSO MENTIONED THAT I FLY THIS AIRSPACE REGULARLY BUT IN THIS INSTANCE; THE CTLR IN FACT WAS VERY EFFECTIVE IN DISTRACTING A PIC. TONIGHT; AFTER PONDERING TODAY'S INCIDENT I FELT IT NECESSARY TO COMPLETE THE NASA FORM AND NOTIFY THE PROPER AUTHS BECAUSE OUR AIRSPACE DOES NOT NEED TO BE CTLED BY OVER-CAFFEINATED CTLRS WHO LOSE THEIR COMPOSURE IN TIGHT; YET REGULAR SITUATIONS. THE CTLR TODAY NEEDED TO FOCUS ON UNDERSTANDING THE REAL SITUATION RPTED BY A PLT AND COMMUNICATING PROPERLY WITH THE PLT WHAT THE SITUATION WAS; WHAT WAS REQUIRED AND WHAT THE OPTIONS WERE; RATHER THAN LOSING COMPLETE COMPOSURE. I HOPE THAT THE CTLR GETS MORE TRAINING AT THE CONSOLE; PARTICULARLY IN GIVE AND TAKE COM.

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.