Narrative:

Cleared to runway 18 for takeoff. Just changing runway due to wind shear because of thunderstorms. While in position on 18R thunderstorms were on radar at long range on 25 mi range. I felt we had plenty of distance from takeoff on 18R to the normal range at which we start a turn north to avoid this WX. After takeoff made numerous calls to departure control before contact was established. By this time we were approaching thunderstorm area showing intense on doppler radar. After contacting departure I said I needed to turn right to 210 degrees to avoid this WX. Departure said fly runway heading and started talking to someone else. At this time I instructed the first officer to turn to 210 degrees and I called departure to tell him of my decision to turn right. At this time, departure stated something like, 'good luck, I hope you don't hit anyone.' as we were still within a reasonable distance and only 25-30 degrees off runway heading and at 5000', his response was out of line. Also, with all the deviations due to WX, they should have felt departures may have to deviate. A case of a lack of communication between the air and ground. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: talked with controller and supervisor upon reaching destination. Controller advised an emergency was in progress, engine shutdown, and they were very busy. Supervisor agreed the comment, 'good luck,' should not have been made. Did not declare an emergency account the small deviation, 20 degrees required. Would have had situation dictated. Was operating in and out of clouds at time of deviation. No conflict or loss of separation resulted.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ASSIGNED HEADING ACCOUNT LINE OF TSTMS. DEVIATED WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: CLRED TO RWY 18 FOR TKOF. JUST CHANGING RWY DUE TO WIND SHEAR BECAUSE OF TSTMS. WHILE IN POS ON 18R TSTMS WERE ON RADAR AT LONG RANGE ON 25 MI RANGE. I FELT WE HAD PLENTY OF DISTANCE FROM TKOF ON 18R TO THE NORMAL RANGE AT WHICH WE START A TURN N TO AVOID THIS WX. AFTER TKOF MADE NUMEROUS CALLS TO DEP CTL BEFORE CONTACT WAS ESTABLISHED. BY THIS TIME WE WERE APCHING TSTM AREA SHOWING INTENSE ON DOPPLER RADAR. AFTER CONTACTING DEP I SAID I NEEDED TO TURN RIGHT TO 210 DEGS TO AVOID THIS WX. DEP SAID FLY RWY HDG AND STARTED TALKING TO SOMEONE ELSE. AT THIS TIME I INSTRUCTED THE F/O TO TURN TO 210 DEGS AND I CALLED DEP TO TELL HIM OF MY DECISION TO TURN RIGHT. AT THIS TIME, DEP STATED SOMETHING LIKE, 'GOOD LUCK, I HOPE YOU DON'T HIT ANYONE.' AS WE WERE STILL WITHIN A REASONABLE DISTANCE AND ONLY 25-30 DEGS OFF RWY HDG AND AT 5000', HIS RESPONSE WAS OUT OF LINE. ALSO, WITH ALL THE DEVIATIONS DUE TO WX, THEY SHOULD HAVE FELT DEPS MAY HAVE TO DEVIATE. A CASE OF A LACK OF COM BTWN THE AIR AND GND. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: TALKED WITH CTLR AND SUPVR UPON REACHING DEST. CTLR ADVISED AN EMER WAS IN PROGRESS, ENG SHUTDOWN, AND THEY WERE VERY BUSY. SUPVR AGREED THE COMMENT, 'GOOD LUCK,' SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN MADE. DID NOT DECLARE AN EMER ACCOUNT THE SMALL DEVIATION, 20 DEGS REQUIRED. WOULD HAVE HAD SITUATION DICTATED. WAS OPERATING IN AND OUT OF CLOUDS AT TIME OF DEVIATION. NO CONFLICT OR LOSS OF SEPARATION RESULTED.

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