Narrative:

The first officer had checked in with dulles approach approximately 10 mi north of the robrt intersection after being handed off by ZDC. We were given a speed restr of 190 KTS and no other instructions were received at the initial contact. Typically we are given an altimeter setting and sometimes which runway/approach to expect on initial contact with dulles approach. Our flight plan called for us to proceed direct aml VOR after robrt. This is the standard if we are not given any specific instructions from dulles approach. The frequency was busy due to rain and IFR WX in the vicinity. We crossed the robrt intersection and I turned the aircraft direct to aml. Shortly after this, dulles approach advised me that I was supposed to be on a 240 degree heading after robrt, vectors for the ILS runway 19R approach into iad. I was then given a 260 degree heading vectors across the runway 19R localizer which I immediately complied. The flight was completed without further incident. The corrective action I should have taken was to query ATC when we were not issued expected instructions at the initial contact. Another factor is that sometimes dulles approach waits until we are at robrt to issue runway instructions and headings to fly. I waited to query ATC expecting the same this flight. The first officer and I corroborated our stories and the events that led to the incident and neither one of us recalled hearing, let alone reading back, specific instructions after robrt.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLC IN JETSTREAM INBOUND TO IAD ON HDOF FROM ARTCC RECEIVED ONLY AIRSPD INSTRUCTIONS FROM APCH.

Narrative: THE FO HAD CHKED IN WITH DULLES APCH APPROX 10 MI N OF THE ROBRT INTXN AFTER BEING HANDED OFF BY ZDC. WE WERE GIVEN A SPD RESTR OF 190 KTS AND NO OTHER INSTRUCTIONS WERE RECEIVED AT THE INITIAL CONTACT. TYPICALLY WE ARE GIVEN AN ALTIMETER SETTING AND SOMETIMES WHICH RWY/APCH TO EXPECT ON INITIAL CONTACT WITH DULLES APCH. OUR FLT PLAN CALLED FOR US TO PROCEED DIRECT AML VOR AFTER ROBRT. THIS IS THE STANDARD IF WE ARE NOT GIVEN ANY SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS FROM DULLES APCH. THE FREQ WAS BUSY DUE TO RAIN AND IFR WX IN THE VICINITY. WE CROSSED THE ROBRT INTXN AND I TURNED THE ACFT DIRECT TO AML. SHORTLY AFTER THIS, DULLES APCH ADVISED ME THAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ON A 240 DEG HDG AFTER ROBRT, VECTORS FOR THE ILS RWY 19R APCH INTO IAD. I WAS THEN GIVEN A 260 DEG HDG VECTORS ACROSS THE RWY 19R LOC WHICH I IMMEDIATELY COMPLIED. THE FLT WAS COMPLETED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE CORRECTIVE ACTION I SHOULD HAVE TAKEN WAS TO QUERY ATC WHEN WE WERE NOT ISSUED EXPECTED INSTRUCTIONS AT THE INITIAL CONTACT. ANOTHER FACTOR IS THAT SOMETIMES DULLES APCH WAITS UNTIL WE ARE AT ROBRT TO ISSUE RWY INSTRUCTIONS AND HDGS TO FLY. I WAITED TO QUERY ATC EXPECTING THE SAME THIS FLT. THE FO AND I CORROBORATED OUR STORIES AND THE EVENTS THAT LED TO THE INCIDENT AND NEITHER ONE OF US RECALLED HEARING, LET ALONE READING BACK, SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS AFTER ROBRT.

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.