C90 CTLR CHALLENGES B737 FLC'S RESPONSE TO VECTOR HDG WHICH THE FLC PERCEIVES WILL TAKE THEM INTO ADVERSE WX CONDITIONS.
Synopsis
C90 CTLR CHALLENGES B737 FLC'S RESPONSE TO VECTOR HDG WHICH THE FLC PERCEIVES WILL TAKE THEM INTO ADVERSE WX CONDITIONS.
Narrative
WX CELL PAINTED AND CONFIRMED VISUALLY ON TKOF REQUESTED 10-20 DEGS R TURN TO AVOID UNDER FLT -- DENIED BY DEP CTL. PLANNED TO LEVEL OFF BELOW BOTTOM OF CELL. CEILING ABOUT 5000 FT. DEP CTL ISSUED A TURN INTO THE WX AND CLB INTO THE WX -- WE REFUSED. DEP CTL THEN RIDICULED US REPEATEDLY ABOUT OUR REFUSAL AND PUNISHED US BY THREATENING TO LEAVE US AT 5000 FT FOR A LONG TIME. IT WAS THE MOST UNPROFESSIONAL COMMENTS I HAVE EVER HEARD MADE BY A CTLR. HE EXPECTED US TO CHANGE OUR DECISION BASED ON HIS PIREPS OF A SMOOTH RIDE FROM OTHER ACFT AND NOT OUR ASSESSMENT OF THE WX FROM OUR OWN PERSPECTIVE. IN MY JUDGEMENT; HE PRESSURED US TO ACCEPT AN UNSAFE CLRNC. HIS COMMENTS TO US WERE UNPROFESSIONAL AND CREATED AN UNSAFE ENVIRONMENT INFLT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 512668: WE BOTH RECOGNIZED THE EXISTENCE OF CELLS. THE ATC CTLR GAVE US A HDG THAT THE CAPT DID NOT FEEL WE COULD ACCEPT. I AGREED WITH HIM. THE CTLR REFUSED TO ACCEPT THE CAPT'S PERCEPTION OF THE SIT. THE CTLR ACTED AS IF HE BELIEVED THAT WE WERE TRYING TO KEEP A HDG THAT WOULD GET US ON COURSE QUICKER. THAT WAS NOT THE CASE. THE HDG WE TOOK WAS AWAY FROM OUR COURSE AND TO AVOID WX THAT WAS VISIBLE TO US OUT THE COCKPIT WINDOW AS WELL AS IN ADDITION HE STARTED TO LAUGH ON THE RADIO STATING THAT OTHER ACFT HAD NOT COMPLAINED ABOUT CELLS THROUGH THAT AREA.
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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.