Air carrier unable to obtain approach clearance account frequency congestion.

Attributes
ACN	113619
Time
Date	198905
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bos
State Reference	MA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bos
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	113619
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

We were flying the CAT ii ILS 04R approach to bos. The WX had been called 100 overcast 1/16 RVR 04R-8v14. It was reported RVR 60 shortly before we landed. We were on the localizer inbound with clearance to 3000. From about 2-3 mi south of nabbo to past miltt, I tried to obtain approach clearance. I could not because the frequency was saturated. We were past miltt before I could talk to the controller. The controller said he thought he had given us clearance for the approach. He then brought us around with a quick pattern and we landed without further incident. The controller apologized for our missed approach. I later talked to another airline crew that was in a widebody transport behind us on approach. They said they did not hear us get a clearance. They added it was hard for them to get a clearance because of the frequency saturation. I would like to state that the controller was calm and collected during the process and handled it well. I feel his performance was above the standards considering the conditions. I do not know how many aircraft were on the final approach frequency but we went 7-8 mi trying to make radio contact but were unable to do so because so many different voices were on the frequency. When we are flying to CAT I or ii minimums, from a safety and operational viewpoint, it seems we should be able to make radio contact in no more than 30-40 seconds. I might add that our fuel state was such that we were within a few minutes of heading to our alternate.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR UNABLE TO OBTAIN APCH CLRNC ACCOUNT FREQ CONGESTION.

Narrative: WE WERE FLYING THE CAT II ILS 04R APCH TO BOS. THE WX HAD BEEN CALLED 100 OVERCAST 1/16 RVR 04R-8V14. IT WAS REPORTED RVR 60 SHORTLY BEFORE WE LANDED. WE WERE ON THE LOC INBND WITH CLRNC TO 3000. FROM ABOUT 2-3 MI S OF NABBO TO PAST MILTT, I TRIED TO OBTAIN APCH CLRNC. I COULD NOT BECAUSE THE FREQ WAS SATURATED. WE WERE PAST MILTT BEFORE I COULD TALK TO THE CTLR. THE CTLR SAID HE THOUGHT HE HAD GIVEN US CLRNC FOR THE APCH. HE THEN BROUGHT US AROUND WITH A QUICK PATTERN AND WE LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE CTLR APOLOGIZED FOR OUR MISSED APCH. I LATER TALKED TO ANOTHER AIRLINE CREW THAT WAS IN A WDB BEHIND US ON APCH. THEY SAID THEY DID NOT HEAR US GET A CLRNC. THEY ADDED IT WAS HARD FOR THEM TO GET A CLRNC BECAUSE OF THE FREQ SATURATION. I WOULD LIKE TO STATE THAT THE CTLR WAS CALM AND COLLECTED DURING THE PROCESS AND HANDLED IT WELL. I FEEL HIS PERFORMANCE WAS ABOVE THE STANDARDS CONSIDERING THE CONDITIONS. I DO NOT KNOW HOW MANY ACFT WERE ON THE FINAL APCH FREQ BUT WE WENT 7-8 MI TRYING TO MAKE RADIO CONTACT BUT WERE UNABLE TO DO SO BECAUSE SO MANY DIFFERENT VOICES WERE ON THE FREQ. WHEN WE ARE FLYING TO CAT I OR II MINIMUMS, FROM A SAFETY AND OPERATIONAL VIEWPOINT, IT SEEMS WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE RADIO CONTACT IN NO MORE THAN 30-40 SECONDS. I MIGHT ADD THAT OUR FUEL STATE WAS SUCH THAT WE WERE WITHIN A FEW MINUTES OF HDG TO OUR ALTERNATE.

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.