ATC handling. - NASA ASRS

Attributes
ACN	299580
Time
Date	199503
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dca
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dca tower : sjc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	299580
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	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

ATC was working more than 1 frequency. He seemed to be very busy, with commands in very rapid speech. He turned us over another (right over) aircraft that was at a lower (undetermined) altitude and told us that we were following him (now, directly underneath us) and that we were following him (now, directly underneath us), and that we were to descend from 7000 ft to 5000 ft. I asked for confirmation 'to 5000 ft' since we were descending right on top of another aircraft. ATC stated that if we continually needed (our first time) altitude confirmation that we should turn from a heading of 180 degrees to 090 degrees. Communications deteriorated from there but I became very slow and deliberate in my 'readback' since I knew we would not be able to confirm anything with this hostile controller. It seems to me that controllers are being spread too thin and sometimes try to do more (in terms of spacing) than they are capable of doing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC HANDLING.

Narrative: ATC WAS WORKING MORE THAN 1 FREQ. HE SEEMED TO BE VERY BUSY, WITH COMMANDS IN VERY RAPID SPEECH. HE TURNED US OVER ANOTHER (RIGHT OVER) ACFT THAT WAS AT A LOWER (UNDETERMINED) ALT AND TOLD US THAT WE WERE FOLLOWING HIM (NOW, DIRECTLY UNDERNEATH US) AND THAT WE WERE FOLLOWING HIM (NOW, DIRECTLY UNDERNEATH US), AND THAT WE WERE TO DSND FROM 7000 FT TO 5000 FT. I ASKED FOR CONFIRMATION 'TO 5000 FT' SINCE WE WERE DSNDING RIGHT ON TOP OF ANOTHER ACFT. ATC STATED THAT IF WE CONTINUALLY NEEDED (OUR FIRST TIME) ALT CONFIRMATION THAT WE SHOULD TURN FROM A HDG OF 180 DEGS TO 090 DEGS. COMS DETERIORATED FROM THERE BUT I BECAME VERY SLOW AND DELIBERATE IN MY 'READBACK' SINCE I KNEW WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO CONFIRM ANYTHING WITH THIS HOSTILE CTLR. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT CTLRS ARE BEING SPREAD TOO THIN AND SOMETIMES TRY TO DO MORE (IN TERMS OF SPACING) THAN THEY ARE CAPABLE OF DOING.

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.