Narrative:

In 7/88 a USAF was on an IFR flight from savannah, GA, into dobbins AFB, GA. We experienced a controller conflict which I believe was caused from what seems to be an increasing demand on the ZTL controllers to handle all the traffic worsened by deviations for thunderstorms. The problem arose for my aircraft and the center control when we had to deviate west of the arrival course because of a large line of thunderstorms. With about 5 more mi to safely clear the line, which we could clearly see and 2 navigators on board had on radar, ZTL requested we turn north. This would have put us right into the last 2 storms and whatever else lay behind them. My copilot immediately told ZTL that we could not turn north and why, but ZTL insisted we do this because of arrival traffic off our left coming from the south. My copilot then said we could possibly turn left to establish a holding pattern but ZTL said no and we told them that in about another mile we would be able to give them a turn to north, which we did. After the turn I proceeded direct to turbo intersection as close as I could since there were still storms beside to the east of it. By then which was a matter of a few mins, approach vectored me into dobbins AFB, and upon arrival, tower told me to call the area supervisor. I immediately called while the event was clear in my mind, but the supervisor had nothing to tell me nor could he find out what I was supposed to call about. I told him what happened and he told me that nothing would happen since WX was involved. The following morning I called again and still nothing was slowing on the report books. In retrospect, I know the controllers are being taxied to their limits, but when there is an obvious safety of flight situation occurring, the person on the ground should trust our judgement more and not waste our time with these trivial requests to call them unless something really has happened.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MIL FLT CREW DID NOT FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS RECEIVED FROM ARTCC.

Narrative: IN 7/88 A USAF WAS ON AN IFR FLT FROM SAVANNAH, GA, INTO DOBBINS AFB, GA. WE EXPERIENCED A CTLR CONFLICT WHICH I BELIEVE WAS CAUSED FROM WHAT SEEMS TO BE AN INCREASING DEMAND ON THE ZTL CTLRS TO HANDLE ALL THE TFC WORSENED BY DEVIATIONS FOR TSTMS. THE PROB AROSE FOR MY ACFT AND THE CENTER CTL WHEN WE HAD TO DEVIATE W OF THE ARR COURSE BECAUSE OF A LARGE LINE OF TSTMS. WITH ABOUT 5 MORE MI TO SAFELY CLEAR THE LINE, WHICH WE COULD CLEARLY SEE AND 2 NAVIGATORS ON BOARD HAD ON RADAR, ZTL REQUESTED WE TURN N. THIS WOULD HAVE PUT US RIGHT INTO THE LAST 2 STORMS AND WHATEVER ELSE LAY BEHIND THEM. MY COPLT IMMEDIATELY TOLD ZTL THAT WE COULD NOT TURN N AND WHY, BUT ZTL INSISTED WE DO THIS BECAUSE OF ARR TFC OFF OUR LEFT COMING FROM THE S. MY COPLT THEN SAID WE COULD POSSIBLY TURN LEFT TO ESTABLISH A HOLDING PATTERN BUT ZTL SAID NO AND WE TOLD THEM THAT IN ABOUT ANOTHER MILE WE WOULD BE ABLE TO GIVE THEM A TURN TO N, WHICH WE DID. AFTER THE TURN I PROCEEDED DIRECT TO TURBO INTXN AS CLOSE AS I COULD SINCE THERE WERE STILL STORMS BESIDE TO THE E OF IT. BY THEN WHICH WAS A MATTER OF A FEW MINS, APCH VECTORED ME INTO DOBBINS AFB, AND UPON ARR, TWR TOLD ME TO CALL THE AREA SUPVR. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED WHILE THE EVENT WAS CLEAR IN MY MIND, BUT THE SUPVR HAD NOTHING TO TELL ME NOR COULD HE FIND OUT WHAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO CALL ABOUT. I TOLD HIM WHAT HAPPENED AND HE TOLD ME THAT NOTHING WOULD HAPPEN SINCE WX WAS INVOLVED. THE FOLLOWING MORNING I CALLED AGAIN AND STILL NOTHING WAS SLOWING ON THE REPORT BOOKS. IN RETROSPECT, I KNOW THE CTLRS ARE BEING TAXIED TO THEIR LIMITS, BUT WHEN THERE IS AN OBVIOUS SAFETY OF FLT SITUATION OCCURRING, THE PERSON ON THE GND SHOULD TRUST OUR JUDGEMENT MORE AND NOT WASTE OUR TIME WITH THESE TRIVIAL REQUESTS TO CALL THEM UNLESS SOMETHING REALLY HAS HAPPENED.

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.