Narrative:

On ZDC, descended and crossed holey intersection at 11000 ft. As we discussed that our 3/1 profile was approaching to cross rbv at 8000 ft, we received that clearance and complied. Just as we crossed rbv, center started holding traffic behind us at rbv. We turned outbound on the 005 degree radial of rbv. ZDC did not stop talking until we were at the 10 DME fix. At that time we queried him as to what he would like us to do since the arrival states to expect vectors at the 9 DME point. At that point he handed us off to ewr approach. Once we contacted approach at the 11 DME point, he read us the riot act about not being allowed to enter lga approach airspace without a clearance. I told him to slow down, we were on the arrival and that as soon as we were able to get a word in with ZDC we did and he handed us off after he finished giving other people holds. After we were given vectors, I requested a phone number and called the TRACON once on the ground. The first supervisor I talked to said he would talk to the controller and I should call him back. I called back and another supervisor had the information relayed to him. He said they were not able to get a hold of us. That is why ZDC was holding the other flts. I asked how that was possible since we heard all the hold instructions being issued and even commented to each other that if we had been given holding, we would have had to immediately divert to jfk or phl, and that when we were able to finally get a word in edgewise, he immediately handed us over to approach. It sounded to me that the supervisor was surprised that we were given and met all the required crossing restrs at holey and rbv. I asked how that could be if we were not in contact with center. No good answer other than they were not able to get a hold of us. He also stated that the controller was more upset at ZDC than us and nothing will come of this. I also asked if the controller would rather I have entered a hold at the 9 DME fix off of rbv rather than wait to get a word in. He said that would not have been good. It is my opinion that ZDC forgot to hand us off or thought he did when approach called and asked why our flight wasn't talking to him. Rather than get on the frequency and ask if we were still there, they started to hold. It was extremely busy on the frequency and the controller was relieved right after this according to the first supervisor. This is not a good situation -- the airspace and frequencys are pushed to the limit, including the controllers. This was just a late handoff and should not have caused this type of situation or anxiety.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF ACR OVERSHOT CLRNC LIMIT, DURING STAR ARR, AFTER NOT RECEIVING VECTORS AS DESIGNATED ON THE STAR PROC.

Narrative: ON ZDC, DSNDED AND CROSSED HOLEY INTXN AT 11000 FT. AS WE DISCUSSED THAT OUR 3/1 PROFILE WAS APCHING TO CROSS RBV AT 8000 FT, WE RECEIVED THAT CLRNC AND COMPLIED. JUST AS WE CROSSED RBV, CTR STARTED HOLDING TFC BEHIND US AT RBV. WE TURNED OUTBOUND ON THE 005 DEG RADIAL OF RBV. ZDC DID NOT STOP TALKING UNTIL WE WERE AT THE 10 DME FIX. AT THAT TIME WE QUERIED HIM AS TO WHAT HE WOULD LIKE US TO DO SINCE THE ARR STATES TO EXPECT VECTORS AT THE 9 DME POINT. AT THAT POINT HE HANDED US OFF TO EWR APCH. ONCE WE CONTACTED APCH AT THE 11 DME POINT, HE READ US THE RIOT ACT ABOUT NOT BEING ALLOWED TO ENTER LGA APCH AIRSPACE WITHOUT A CLRNC. I TOLD HIM TO SLOW DOWN, WE WERE ON THE ARR AND THAT AS SOON AS WE WERE ABLE TO GET A WORD IN WITH ZDC WE DID AND HE HANDED US OFF AFTER HE FINISHED GIVING OTHER PEOPLE HOLDS. AFTER WE WERE GIVEN VECTORS, I REQUESTED A PHONE NUMBER AND CALLED THE TRACON ONCE ON THE GND. THE FIRST SUPVR I TALKED TO SAID HE WOULD TALK TO THE CTLR AND I SHOULD CALL HIM BACK. I CALLED BACK AND ANOTHER SUPVR HAD THE INFO RELAYED TO HIM. HE SAID THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO GET A HOLD OF US. THAT IS WHY ZDC WAS HOLDING THE OTHER FLTS. I ASKED HOW THAT WAS POSSIBLE SINCE WE HEARD ALL THE HOLD INSTRUCTIONS BEING ISSUED AND EVEN COMMENTED TO EACH OTHER THAT IF WE HAD BEEN GIVEN HOLDING, WE WOULD HAVE HAD TO IMMEDIATELY DIVERT TO JFK OR PHL, AND THAT WHEN WE WERE ABLE TO FINALLY GET A WORD IN EDGEWISE, HE IMMEDIATELY HANDED US OVER TO APCH. IT SOUNDED TO ME THAT THE SUPVR WAS SURPRISED THAT WE WERE GIVEN AND MET ALL THE REQUIRED XING RESTRS AT HOLEY AND RBV. I ASKED HOW THAT COULD BE IF WE WERE NOT IN CONTACT WITH CTR. NO GOOD ANSWER OTHER THAN THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO GET A HOLD OF US. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE CTLR WAS MORE UPSET AT ZDC THAN US AND NOTHING WILL COME OF THIS. I ALSO ASKED IF THE CTLR WOULD RATHER I HAVE ENTERED A HOLD AT THE 9 DME FIX OFF OF RBV RATHER THAN WAIT TO GET A WORD IN. HE SAID THAT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN GOOD. IT IS MY OPINION THAT ZDC FORGOT TO HAND US OFF OR THOUGHT HE DID WHEN APCH CALLED AND ASKED WHY OUR FLT WASN'T TALKING TO HIM. RATHER THAN GET ON THE FREQ AND ASK IF WE WERE STILL THERE, THEY STARTED TO HOLD. IT WAS EXTREMELY BUSY ON THE FREQ AND THE CTLR WAS RELIEVED RIGHT AFTER THIS ACCORDING TO THE FIRST SUPVR. THIS IS NOT A GOOD SIT -- THE AIRSPACE AND FREQS ARE PUSHED TO THE LIMIT, INCLUDING THE CTLRS. THIS WAS JUST A LATE HDOF AND SHOULD NOT HAVE CAUSED THIS TYPE OF SIT OR ANXIETY.

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.