Narrative:

We were inbound to iad airport and we were instructed to cross robrt intersection at 10000 ft and 250 KTS. We waited until the last possible moment to start down due to moderate turbulence reported at lower altitudes. We were descending at a high rate when about 2 NM northeast of robrt ZNY instructed us to 'hold at robrt as published.' at 250 KIAS, this left us less than 1 min to set up and enter the hold, so you can imagine what happened. I should probably add that robrt intersection is not depicted on any published arrival into iad, and the published hold can only be found on a low altitude en route chart. Also, the WX was scattered clouds with 10 mi visibility, so the instructions to hold were totally unexpected. We passed robrt while still trying to set up the hold, and when we were about 3-4 mi southwest of robrt, ATC asked us 'where are you going?' we explained our predicament as best we could, and ATC told us to turn right heading 180 degrees, and call them on the phone when we got on the ground. I will admit that we were caught unaware, but I would like to say on our behalf that short of having this hold memorized from previous experience, I don't know how the results could have been any different. This controller left us about 30 seconds to: 1) arrest a high rate of descent, 2) level at 10000 ft, 3) slow to holding speed, 4) find the published hold at robrt on a map, 5) program the FMC for the hold (or tune VOR's and set up the proper radial, etc), 6) and determine the proper entry for the hold and enter it. Had the controller said 'turn left heading 065 degrees, set up to hold at robrt as published, I'll call you inbound turn' this would have been a non event. The captain called ZNY, but I wasn't privy to what was said (I'm the first officer). There might be a crew out there somewhere that could have set this hold up and entered it in the allotted time, but it sure wasn't us.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR CREW RECEIVES VERY LATE HOLDING CLRNC AND IS UNABLE TO COMPLY OVER MRB, WV.

Narrative: WE WERE INBOUND TO IAD ARPT AND WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO CROSS ROBRT INTXN AT 10000 FT AND 250 KTS. WE WAITED UNTIL THE LAST POSSIBLE MOMENT TO START DOWN DUE TO MODERATE TURB RPTED AT LOWER ALTS. WE WERE DSNDING AT A HIGH RATE WHEN ABOUT 2 NM NE OF ROBRT ZNY INSTRUCTED US TO 'HOLD AT ROBRT AS PUBLISHED.' AT 250 KIAS, THIS LEFT US LESS THAN 1 MIN TO SET UP AND ENTER THE HOLD, SO YOU CAN IMAGINE WHAT HAPPENED. I SHOULD PROBABLY ADD THAT ROBRT INTXN IS NOT DEPICTED ON ANY PUBLISHED ARR INTO IAD, AND THE PUBLISHED HOLD CAN ONLY BE FOUND ON A LOW ALT ENRTE CHART. ALSO, THE WX WAS SCATTERED CLOUDS WITH 10 MI VISIBILITY, SO THE INSTRUCTIONS TO HOLD WERE TOTALLY UNEXPECTED. WE PASSED ROBRT WHILE STILL TRYING TO SET UP THE HOLD, AND WHEN WE WERE ABOUT 3-4 MI SW OF ROBRT, ATC ASKED US 'WHERE ARE YOU GOING?' WE EXPLAINED OUR PREDICAMENT AS BEST WE COULD, AND ATC TOLD US TO TURN R HDG 180 DEGS, AND CALL THEM ON THE PHONE WHEN WE GOT ON THE GND. I WILL ADMIT THAT WE WERE CAUGHT UNAWARE, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY ON OUR BEHALF THAT SHORT OF HAVING THIS HOLD MEMORIZED FROM PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE, I DON'T KNOW HOW THE RESULTS COULD HAVE BEEN ANY DIFFERENT. THIS CTLR LEFT US ABOUT 30 SECONDS TO: 1) ARREST A HIGH RATE OF DSCNT, 2) LEVEL AT 10000 FT, 3) SLOW TO HOLDING SPD, 4) FIND THE PUBLISHED HOLD AT ROBRT ON A MAP, 5) PROGRAM THE FMC FOR THE HOLD (OR TUNE VOR'S AND SET UP THE PROPER RADIAL, ETC), 6) AND DETERMINE THE PROPER ENTRY FOR THE HOLD AND ENTER IT. HAD THE CTLR SAID 'TURN L HDG 065 DEGS, SET UP TO HOLD AT ROBRT AS PUBLISHED, I'LL CALL YOU INBOUND TURN' THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A NON EVENT. THE CAPT CALLED ZNY, BUT I WASN'T PRIVY TO WHAT WAS SAID (I'M THE FO). THERE MIGHT BE A CREW OUT THERE SOMEWHERE THAT COULD HAVE SET THIS HOLD UP AND ENTERED IT IN THE ALLOTTED TIME, BUT IT SURE WASN'T US.

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.