A B757 flight crew refused a heading change because of WX and was put into a hold.

Attributes
ACN	789885
Time
Date	200806
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfee.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl single value : 32000
Environment
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 245 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 4600
ASRS Report	789885
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Weather Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

Deviating around a line of thunderstorms and within 30 mi of turning north to clear WX when controller ordered me to turn immediately to heading of 280 degrees for traffic avoidance. The heading would have put me in direct line of a thunderstorm only 20 mi away. I refused the order stating that it would put me right in a thunderstorm. Controller insisted I make the turn anyway. I suggested a higher or lower or another direction but he continued to insist a heading of 280 degrees. I made a steep bank to the right flying through 280 degree heading to avoid the storm and continued to the right; making a course reversal. At that time the controller assigned a direct to sps and hold with no efc. After 3 inquiries about an efc time; he gave me an efc of XA00. This controller was ordering other aircraft similar heading assignments with similar refusals due to the WX. I don't care if I have 4 or 400 passenger on my aircraft; I will not fly into a thunderstorm and feel this controller was too overwhelmed with the situation and handled this incident poorly that could have ended in disaster. We had 30 mi to go until clear of WX now put in a dangerous position. While holding at sps; the line of storms continued to move near my position and I called to remind the controller. He instructed me to continue holding at that position regardless. Soon after; we were cleared to abi and moved to another controller.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757 FLT CREW REFUSED A HDG CHANGE BECAUSE OF WX AND WAS PUT INTO A HOLD.

Narrative: DEVIATING AROUND A LINE OF TSTMS AND WITHIN 30 MI OF TURNING N TO CLR WX WHEN CTLR ORDERED ME TO TURN IMMEDIATELY TO HDG OF 280 DEGS FOR TFC AVOIDANCE. THE HDG WOULD HAVE PUT ME IN DIRECT LINE OF A TSTM ONLY 20 MI AWAY. I REFUSED THE ORDER STATING THAT IT WOULD PUT ME RIGHT IN A TSTM. CTLR INSISTED I MAKE THE TURN ANYWAY. I SUGGESTED A HIGHER OR LOWER OR ANOTHER DIRECTION BUT HE CONTINUED TO INSIST A HDG OF 280 DEGS. I MADE A STEEP BANK TO THE R FLYING THROUGH 280 DEG HDG TO AVOID THE STORM AND CONTINUED TO THE R; MAKING A COURSE REVERSAL. AT THAT TIME THE CTLR ASSIGNED A DIRECT TO SPS AND HOLD WITH NO EFC. AFTER 3 INQUIRIES ABOUT AN EFC TIME; HE GAVE ME AN EFC OF XA00. THIS CTLR WAS ORDERING OTHER ACFT SIMILAR HDG ASSIGNMENTS WITH SIMILAR REFUSALS DUE TO THE WX. I DON'T CARE IF I HAVE 4 OR 400 PAX ON MY ACFT; I WILL NOT FLY INTO A TSTM AND FEEL THIS CTLR WAS TOO OVERWHELMED WITH THE SITUATION AND HANDLED THIS INCIDENT POORLY THAT COULD HAVE ENDED IN DISASTER. WE HAD 30 MI TO GO UNTIL CLR OF WX NOW PUT IN A DANGEROUS POS. WHILE HOLDING AT SPS; THE LINE OF STORMS CONTINUED TO MOVE NEAR MY POS AND I CALLED TO REMIND THE CTLR. HE INSTRUCTED ME TO CONTINUE HOLDING AT THAT POS REGARDLESS. SOON AFTER; WE WERE CLRED TO ABI AND MOVED TO ANOTHER CTLR.

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.