Narrative:

Looking at WX radar 45 mins prior to departure; I noticed several isolated cells around ZZZ. Rain showers started at the field during our taxi out. Turned WX radar on during taxi to runway to check WX west of ZZZ. Aircraft departing in front of us given 185 degree heading for WX. As he was rolling; we were given position and hold. Once on the runway; I saw a cell about 5-6 mi south of the field on centerline of runway. I told tower I needed a 195-210 degree heading for WX. Tower responded he could only give me a 185 degree vector but departure would give me a turn as soon as I checked in to whatever I wanted. He then cleared us for takeoff and again said departure would give me whatever I wanted. Takeoff normal; switched to departure. First officer asked for 195 degrees for WX. Departure said unable and maintain 185 degrees. I got on radio and told him unable 185 degrees for WX and needed turn to 195-210 degrees. Again; told him unable and I would be turning to 200 degrees. He asked if I was declaring emergency. I told him that I would if that was necessary to turn. He said fine; I am showing you as an emergency aircraft and cleared to turn. He said he would ask for additional information later. About this time I heard slat overspd. Looking down at airspeed; I saw 275 KTS. I pressed the autoplt/autothrottle release buttons and pulled the nose up decreasing the airspeed and called for slats retract. At this time we were given a turn to 260 degrees. After rollout; I turned on the autoplt and autothrottles. Departure then came on and said next time to ask for the turn/heading prior to takeoff. I told him I did tell tower and tower told me that he would give me the turn. He came back and said everything was ok and they would talk with tower. I told him I would not have taken off if tower had not told me I could get heading I wanted from departure. Never was referred to as an emergency aircraft so I don't know if they actually changed me to emergency or not. During the climb out; I thought I had called for slat retraction and turned on the autoplt. My fault completely for not confirming slat retraction and autoplt on. My hand was on the yoke the whole time while I was looking at the WX and talking to departure; but I forgot rule #1 -- fly the airplane. I did not see an airspeed above 280 KTS with the slats extended; but did make a leg write-up since the aural warning went off.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZZZ DEP WAS DENIED WX DIVERSION REQUEST BY TWR; DEP INITIALLY DENIED REQUEST BUT LATER APPROVED AFTER EMER DECLARATION.

Narrative: LOOKING AT WX RADAR 45 MINS PRIOR TO DEP; I NOTICED SEVERAL ISOLATED CELLS AROUND ZZZ. RAIN SHOWERS STARTED AT THE FIELD DURING OUR TAXI OUT. TURNED WX RADAR ON DURING TAXI TO RWY TO CHK WX W OF ZZZ. ACFT DEPARTING IN FRONT OF US GIVEN 185 DEG HDG FOR WX. AS HE WAS ROLLING; WE WERE GIVEN POS AND HOLD. ONCE ON THE RWY; I SAW A CELL ABOUT 5-6 MI S OF THE FIELD ON CTRLINE OF RWY. I TOLD TWR I NEEDED A 195-210 DEG HDG FOR WX. TWR RESPONDED HE COULD ONLY GIVE ME A 185 DEG VECTOR BUT DEP WOULD GIVE ME A TURN AS SOON AS I CHKED IN TO WHATEVER I WANTED. HE THEN CLRED US FOR TKOF AND AGAIN SAID DEP WOULD GIVE ME WHATEVER I WANTED. TKOF NORMAL; SWITCHED TO DEP. FO ASKED FOR 195 DEGS FOR WX. DEP SAID UNABLE AND MAINTAIN 185 DEGS. I GOT ON RADIO AND TOLD HIM UNABLE 185 DEGS FOR WX AND NEEDED TURN TO 195-210 DEGS. AGAIN; TOLD HIM UNABLE AND I WOULD BE TURNING TO 200 DEGS. HE ASKED IF I WAS DECLARING EMER. I TOLD HIM THAT I WOULD IF THAT WAS NECESSARY TO TURN. HE SAID FINE; I AM SHOWING YOU AS AN EMER ACFT AND CLRED TO TURN. HE SAID HE WOULD ASK FOR ADDITIONAL INFO LATER. ABOUT THIS TIME I HEARD SLAT OVERSPD. LOOKING DOWN AT AIRSPD; I SAW 275 KTS. I PRESSED THE AUTOPLT/AUTOTHROTTLE RELEASE BUTTONS AND PULLED THE NOSE UP DECREASING THE AIRSPD AND CALLED FOR SLATS RETRACT. AT THIS TIME WE WERE GIVEN A TURN TO 260 DEGS. AFTER ROLLOUT; I TURNED ON THE AUTOPLT AND AUTOTHROTTLES. DEP THEN CAME ON AND SAID NEXT TIME TO ASK FOR THE TURN/HDG PRIOR TO TKOF. I TOLD HIM I DID TELL TWR AND TWR TOLD ME THAT HE WOULD GIVE ME THE TURN. HE CAME BACK AND SAID EVERYTHING WAS OK AND THEY WOULD TALK WITH TWR. I TOLD HIM I WOULD NOT HAVE TAKEN OFF IF TWR HAD NOT TOLD ME I COULD GET HDG I WANTED FROM DEP. NEVER WAS REFERRED TO AS AN EMER ACFT SO I DON'T KNOW IF THEY ACTUALLY CHANGED ME TO EMER OR NOT. DURING THE CLBOUT; I THOUGHT I HAD CALLED FOR SLAT RETRACTION AND TURNED ON THE AUTOPLT. MY FAULT COMPLETELY FOR NOT CONFIRMING SLAT RETRACTION AND AUTOPLT ON. MY HAND WAS ON THE YOKE THE WHOLE TIME WHILE I WAS LOOKING AT THE WX AND TALKING TO DEP; BUT I FORGOT RULE #1 -- FLY THE AIRPLANE. I DID NOT SEE AN AIRSPD ABOVE 280 KTS WITH THE SLATS EXTENDED; BUT DID MAKE A LEG WRITE-UP SINCE THE AURAL WARNING WENT OFF.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.