Narrative:

On arrival into newark international, nj, we were flying on the robinsville one arrival (eno.rbv.1). At approximately 30 NM from robinsville (9 mi from holey) we were level at 20000 ft. We were trying to query the controller about the 'expect clearance to cross holey at 11000 ft,' but, due to ATC radio congestion, we were unable to accomplish it. At XA35 pm local, at 25 NM from robinsville, the controller issued us a clearance to cross robinsville at 8000 ft. We notified him twice that we were unable to cross at 8000 ft due to our late descent clearance. We began a descent. The controller paused for about 30 seconds and then issued a right turn to 230 degrees. Because this turn was a 180 degree turn, we asked him to confirm 'a right turn.' he responded yes. As we were passing through 18000 ft at a descent of approximately 3500 FPM, the controller instructed us to level off at 19000 ft. We initiated an immediate leveloff and dropped to 17500 ft. We told him our altitude and he told us to leveloff 'at any altitude.' we stated that we would level off at 17000 ft. He responded that 17000 ft would be fine. While still in the right turn to 230 degrees, we received an RA (XA40 pm local) of an aircraft Y at 17000 ft and 4 mi at our 11 O'clock position. The controller called the traffic and we responded that the traffic was in sight. He stated 'maintain visual contact.' the controller then cleared us to descend to 8000 ft and continue our turn to proceed direct to robinsville. While in the turn, he instructed us to 'tighten the turn' twice and we responded that we were in a 30 degree bank turn. He then stated 'hurry down to 8000 ft.' we responded that we were in our best descent rate (spoilers and slats extended). The problem was caused by no initial clearance to descend. It was compounded when the controller, not aware of our aircraft limitations, requested a descent that was physically impossible. He then turned us into traffic and requested us to level off at an altitude above our current one while descending. This was due to the radar presentation limitations. Finally, because of his lack of understanding of our aircraft limitations, he requested us to turn in excess of our company policy of standard rate turns.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD88 FLT WAS DSNDED LATE WHICH RESULTED IN EXCESSIVE VECTORING BY ATC AND LOST OF STANDARD SEPARATION WITH ACFT Y.

Narrative: ON ARR INTO NEWARK INTL, NJ, WE WERE FLYING ON THE ROBINSVILLE ONE ARR (ENO.RBV.1). AT APPROX 30 NM FROM ROBINSVILLE (9 MI FROM HOLEY) WE WERE LEVEL AT 20000 FT. WE WERE TRYING TO QUERY THE CTLR ABOUT THE 'EXPECT CLRNC TO CROSS HOLEY AT 11000 FT,' BUT, DUE TO ATC RADIO CONGESTION, WE WERE UNABLE TO ACCOMPLISH IT. AT XA35 PM LCL, AT 25 NM FROM ROBINSVILLE, THE CTLR ISSUED US A CLRNC TO CROSS ROBINSVILLE AT 8000 FT. WE NOTIFIED HIM TWICE THAT WE WERE UNABLE TO CROSS AT 8000 FT DUE TO OUR LATE DSCNT CLRNC. WE BEGAN A DSCNT. THE CTLR PAUSED FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS AND THEN ISSUED A R TURN TO 230 DEGS. BECAUSE THIS TURN WAS A 180 DEG TURN, WE ASKED HIM TO CONFIRM 'A R TURN.' HE RESPONDED YES. AS WE WERE PASSING THROUGH 18000 FT AT A DSCNT OF APPROX 3500 FPM, THE CTLR INSTRUCTED US TO LEVEL OFF AT 19000 FT. WE INITIATED AN IMMEDIATE LEVELOFF AND DROPPED TO 17500 FT. WE TOLD HIM OUR ALT AND HE TOLD US TO LEVELOFF 'AT ANY ALT.' WE STATED THAT WE WOULD LEVEL OFF AT 17000 FT. HE RESPONDED THAT 17000 FT WOULD BE FINE. WHILE STILL IN THE R TURN TO 230 DEGS, WE RECEIVED AN RA (XA40 PM LCL) OF AN ACFT Y AT 17000 FT AND 4 MI AT OUR 11 O'CLOCK POS. THE CTLR CALLED THE TFC AND WE RESPONDED THAT THE TFC WAS IN SIGHT. HE STATED 'MAINTAIN VISUAL CONTACT.' THE CTLR THEN CLRED US TO DSND TO 8000 FT AND CONTINUE OUR TURN TO PROCEED DIRECT TO ROBINSVILLE. WHILE IN THE TURN, HE INSTRUCTED US TO 'TIGHTEN THE TURN' TWICE AND WE RESPONDED THAT WE WERE IN A 30 DEG BANK TURN. HE THEN STATED 'HURRY DOWN TO 8000 FT.' WE RESPONDED THAT WE WERE IN OUR BEST DSCNT RATE (SPOILERS AND SLATS EXTENDED). THE PROB WAS CAUSED BY NO INITIAL CLRNC TO DSND. IT WAS COMPOUNDED WHEN THE CTLR, NOT AWARE OF OUR ACFT LIMITATIONS, REQUESTED A DSCNT THAT WAS PHYSICALLY IMPOSSIBLE. HE THEN TURNED US INTO TFC AND REQUESTED US TO LEVEL OFF AT AN ALT ABOVE OUR CURRENT ONE WHILE DSNDING. THIS WAS DUE TO THE RADAR PRESENTATION LIMITATIONS. FINALLY, BECAUSE OF HIS LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF OUR ACFT LIMITATIONS, HE REQUESTED US TO TURN IN EXCESS OF OUR COMPANY POLICY OF STANDARD RATE TURNS.

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.