Flight crew of an medium large transport air carrier aircraft question the appropriateness and the s...

Attributes
ACN	254283
Time
Date	199310
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca
State Reference	DC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	254283
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

On 3 separate dates in oct, I have noticed the same practice from dca tower. Just as our aircraft is touching down during landing rollout, the tower controller calls on the radio asking where we expect to stop and turn off the runway. All 3 dates I landed on runway 18/36. Twice we ignored the initial call, and then had tower come back with 'acknowledge please' in an anxious/demanding tone. This is a critical phase of flight onto a short, busy, and FAA special airport. To be called during landing rollout is very, very distracting. My first priority is the safe operation (stopping) of the aircraft, not a radio call. Secondly, in the early seconds of a landing rollout, I can't predict with certainty which taxiway or crossing runway I will be able to safely stop by. 2 dangers exist. Pilots might give an incorrect exit response and thereby cause an incident, or the distraction of the radio call may cause an aircraft to run off the end of the runway. I recommend dca tower stop this practice altogether or advise an incoming plane, at least a min or 2 before landing, to call the tower when they are at a safe taxi speed. Landing rollout is no time to be looking for a particular taxiway, talking on the radio, or worse yet -- glancing down at your airport diagram.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN MLG ACR ACFT QUESTION THE APPROPRIATENESS AND THE SAFETY OF TWR REQUESTING FROM THE FLC THE TURNOFF POINT FROM THE RWY AFTER LNDG.

Narrative: ON 3 SEPARATE DATES IN OCT, I HAVE NOTICED THE SAME PRACTICE FROM DCA TWR. JUST AS OUR ACFT IS TOUCHING DOWN DURING LNDG ROLLOUT, THE TWR CTLR CALLS ON THE RADIO ASKING WHERE WE EXPECT TO STOP AND TURN OFF THE RWY. ALL 3 DATES I LANDED ON RWY 18/36. TWICE WE IGNORED THE INITIAL CALL, AND THEN HAD TWR COME BACK WITH 'ACKNOWLEDGE PLEASE' IN AN ANXIOUS/DEMANDING TONE. THIS IS A CRITICAL PHASE OF FLT ONTO A SHORT, BUSY, AND FAA SPECIAL ARPT. TO BE CALLED DURING LNDG ROLLOUT IS VERY, VERY DISTRACTING. MY FIRST PRIORITY IS THE SAFE OP (STOPPING) OF THE ACFT, NOT A RADIO CALL. SECONDLY, IN THE EARLY SECONDS OF A LNDG ROLLOUT, I CAN'T PREDICT WITH CERTAINTY WHICH TXWY OR XING RWY I WILL BE ABLE TO SAFELY STOP BY. 2 DANGERS EXIST. PLTS MIGHT GIVE AN INCORRECT EXIT RESPONSE AND THEREBY CAUSE AN INCIDENT, OR THE DISTR OF THE RADIO CALL MAY CAUSE AN ACFT TO RUN OFF THE END OF THE RWY. I RECOMMEND DCA TWR STOP THIS PRACTICE ALTOGETHER OR ADVISE AN INCOMING PLANE, AT LEAST A MIN OR 2 BEFORE LNDG, TO CALL THE TWR WHEN THEY ARE AT A SAFE TAXI SPD. LNDG ROLLOUT IS NO TIME TO BE LOOKING FOR A PARTICULAR TXWY, TALKING ON THE RADIO, OR WORSE YET -- GLANCING DOWN AT YOUR ARPT DIAGRAM.

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

Flight crew of an medium large transport air carrier aircraft question the appropriateness and the safety of tower requesting from the flight crew the turnoff point from the runway after landing.