Narrative:

Upon arrival into STAR, baret 4, we had multiple frequency changes when requesting lower. Held high by ATC, given 'turn 15 degrees left' twice off of arrival. Another frequency change, 3 speed change requests, a 'direct to pillo,' then a direct to baret. Many altitude amendments to initial descent clrncs. At one point, ZLA controller asked us what was the heading we were assigned (about 2 clearance changes before). We frankly were unable to remember due to all of the changes from them on this arrival. This all took place in less than 40 mi, we think. It entailed .75 mach, 270 KTS, 260 KTS, back to 'normal speed,' in addition to lateral and vertical rapid-fire changes. It is my opinion that both ATC and this cockpit became overloaded. Both pilots had our charts out and had the FMS loaded correctly. We knew where we were, but had to continue to alter the flight plan load, and adjust our descent or leveloff. It seemed to all start with late handoff to center controllers (twice) on the descent. We also believe we may have missed a 'heading' in all of this, but neither of us remembers hearing any specific heading assigned. It was very crazy compared to most arrs, including those into san diego, I know as an experienced captain that we were task saturated, but still tried to do it all, including descent and approach flows and checklists. To our knowledge, safety was not compromised, but could have been.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN ACR LGT FAILED TO FOLLOW ONE OF THE MANY HDG CHANGES GIVEN BY ARTCC CTLR DUE TO THE NUMEROUS ALT, SPD AND HDG CHANGES GIVEN THEM IN A VERY SHORT TIME DURING ARR.

Narrative: UPON ARR INTO STAR, BARET 4, WE HAD MULTIPLE FREQ CHANGES WHEN REQUESTING LOWER. HELD HIGH BY ATC, GIVEN 'TURN 15 DEGS L' TWICE OFF OF ARR. ANOTHER FREQ CHANGE, 3 SPD CHANGE REQUESTS, A 'DIRECT TO PILLO,' THEN A DIRECT TO BARET. MANY ALT AMENDMENTS TO INITIAL DSCNT CLRNCS. AT ONE POINT, ZLA CTLR ASKED US WHAT WAS THE HDG WE WERE ASSIGNED (ABOUT 2 CLRNC CHANGES BEFORE). WE FRANKLY WERE UNABLE TO REMEMBER DUE TO ALL OF THE CHANGES FROM THEM ON THIS ARR. THIS ALL TOOK PLACE IN LESS THAN 40 MI, WE THINK. IT ENTAILED .75 MACH, 270 KTS, 260 KTS, BACK TO 'NORMAL SPD,' IN ADDITION TO LATERAL AND VERT RAPID-FIRE CHANGES. IT IS MY OPINION THAT BOTH ATC AND THIS COCKPIT BECAME OVERLOADED. BOTH PLTS HAD OUR CHARTS OUT AND HAD THE FMS LOADED CORRECTLY. WE KNEW WHERE WE WERE, BUT HAD TO CONTINUE TO ALTER THE FLT PLAN LOAD, AND ADJUST OUR DSCNT OR LEVELOFF. IT SEEMED TO ALL START WITH LATE HDOF TO CTR CTLRS (TWICE) ON THE DSCNT. WE ALSO BELIEVE WE MAY HAVE MISSED A 'HDG' IN ALL OF THIS, BUT NEITHER OF US REMEMBERS HEARING ANY SPECIFIC HDG ASSIGNED. IT WAS VERY CRAZY COMPARED TO MOST ARRS, INCLUDING THOSE INTO SAN DIEGO, I KNOW AS AN EXPERIENCED CAPT THAT WE WERE TASK SATURATED, BUT STILL TRIED TO DO IT ALL, INCLUDING DSCNT AND APCH FLOWS AND CHKLISTS. TO OUR KNOWLEDGE, SAFETY WAS NOT COMPROMISED, BUT COULD HAVE BEEN.

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.