The #2 air carrier in the holding pattern was given an approach ahead of the #1 aircraft below him.

Attributes
ACN	116381
Time
Date	198907
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : aqn
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dfw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	116381
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were holding in 10 mi leg pattern at 12,000' with air carrier Y holding in 20 mi legs above us at 13,000'. We had turned inbound observing air carrier Y inbound above us when ftw center cleared air carrier Y to leave holding and cross bryar intersection at 10,000'. Before we could question the slip in sequence, center instructed us to make an immediate right 360 degree turn and proceed to bryar descending to 10,000'. The traffic was heavy and seldom a break in controller instructions so I elected not to take issue with the shuffle of sequence. At bryar, we had to initiate communications to get change over to approach control. Approach gave us a couple of vectors and dscnts. 8 mi from touchdown we had to initiate change over to tower frequency. We had a very distinct feeling that we had been dropped from the loop. Controllers and the system seemed incapable of handling the volume of traffic present and the interval they were trying to maintain. We were not confident that we were being protected in our airspace or that they were even keeping track of our position and progress to the airport.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE #2 ACR IN THE HOLDING PATTERN WAS GIVEN AN APCH AHEAD OF THE #1 ACFT BELOW HIM.

Narrative: WE WERE HOLDING IN 10 MI LEG PATTERN AT 12,000' WITH ACR Y HOLDING IN 20 MI LEGS ABOVE US AT 13,000'. WE HAD TURNED INBND OBSERVING ACR Y INBND ABOVE US WHEN FTW CENTER CLRED ACR Y TO LEAVE HOLDING AND CROSS BRYAR INTXN AT 10,000'. BEFORE WE COULD QUESTION THE SLIP IN SEQUENCE, CENTER INSTRUCTED US TO MAKE AN IMMEDIATE RIGHT 360 DEG TURN AND PROCEED TO BRYAR DESCENDING TO 10,000'. THE TFC WAS HEAVY AND SELDOM A BREAK IN CTLR INSTRUCTIONS SO I ELECTED NOT TO TAKE ISSUE WITH THE SHUFFLE OF SEQUENCE. AT BRYAR, WE HAD TO INITIATE COMS TO GET CHANGE OVER TO APCH CTL. APCH GAVE US A COUPLE OF VECTORS AND DSCNTS. 8 MI FROM TOUCHDOWN WE HAD TO INITIATE CHANGE OVER TO TWR FREQ. WE HAD A VERY DISTINCT FEELING THAT WE HAD BEEN DROPPED FROM THE LOOP. CTLRS AND THE SYSTEM SEEMED INCAPABLE OF HANDLING THE VOLUME OF TFC PRESENT AND THE INTERVAL THEY WERE TRYING TO MAINTAIN. WE WERE NOT CONFIDENT THAT WE WERE BEING PROTECTED IN OUR AIRSPACE OR THAT THEY WERE EVEN KEEPING TRACK OF OUR POSITION AND PROGRESS TO THE ARPT.

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.