Narrative:

While arriving on the finks 6 over ldn VORTAC, we were encountering aircraft coming off of iad, I think, that were crossing through the arrival corridor near our altitude. At one point west were asked to provide our own separation from a B727 on the climb out. It was a VFR day and we could see the B727. However, when we altered our rate of descent and heading, the TCASII went off once with a climb command followed immediately with a monitor vertical speed command. While we could maintain visual separation at all times, it didn't seem like the best way to handle traffic flow in and out of washington. Having been based in washington for 21 yrs, it seems that the traffic flow is getting over the saturation point for the flow patterns in and out of the area. I don't know of any other TCA where you're asked to maintain your own separation before being issued a visual approach to the landing runway. Supplemental information from acn 488335: I am including as much detail as possible so that this does not happen in the future. We departed iad runway 19L. Initial departure frequency 126.65. On contact with departure, we were told turn right heading 220 degrees, then heading 250 degrees, the heading 290 degrees to intercept J149 on course, climb and maintain 10000 ft, then climb and maintain 11000 ft, turn left heading 180 degrees, contact iad departure 118.67. On contact with 118.67, told us to maintain 10000 ft, turn right approximately heading 360 degrees, then left turn approximately 200 degrees, then back right heading 360 degrees, then 350 degrees, then heading 330 degrees to intercept J149, then cleared to climb and maintain 17000 ft. Shortly after that, got a TA on TCASII that showed aircraft off left side 1400 ft above us and descending. ATC said turn right heading 360 degrees for traffic. I observed an MD80 off the left side of the aircraft heading toward us and very close. I slowed our climb rate. Then we got another TA, followed immediately by a descending RA as he climbed through 12500 ft. We followed the RA guidance. TCASII indicated, at the time of the RA, that the aircraft (MD80) was 300 ft above us descending, and within 1 mi horizontal. First officer informed ATC of RA and that we were descending. During RA maneuver, ATC informed us of traffic at 7 O'clock, maintain visual. We did not, at any time, call traffic in sight, nor did ATC stop our climb or stop the other aircraft's descent. We were then told turn left to heading 240 degrees intercept J149. We requested controller's initials 3 times, and he did not answer 3 times. We did get phone number and frequency change. After frequency change, I used #2 VHF to call 118.67 and request that tapes be pulled (for investigation). My crew and I believe that this controller lost situational awareness. We are very concerned about his apparent lack of concern before, during or after this event. Why were we turned from a southerly to northerly heading into the direct path of another aircraft? When I spoke T my supervisor, who spoke with ATC, he said other aircraft 'had a visual' on us. We, of course, did not hear that part of the conversation. Something needs to be done in the iad approach area before someone is killed. This is my 4TH RA in iad airspace in 2 1/2 yrs.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 2 FLC RPTS ON TFC SEPARATION TECHNIQUES USED BY IAD TRACON FOR ARR DEP TFC THAT PRODUCED A POTENTIAL CONFLICT WITH TCASII RA'S W OF AML, VA.

Narrative: WHILE ARRIVING ON THE FINKS 6 OVER LDN VORTAC, WE WERE ENCOUNTERING ACFT COMING OFF OF IAD, I THINK, THAT WERE XING THROUGH THE ARR CORRIDOR NEAR OUR ALT. AT ONE POINT W WERE ASKED TO PROVIDE OUR OWN SEPARATION FROM A B727 ON THE CLBOUT. IT WAS A VFR DAY AND WE COULD SEE THE B727. HOWEVER, WHEN WE ALTERED OUR RATE OF DSCNT AND HDG, THE TCASII WENT OFF ONCE WITH A CLB COMMAND FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY WITH A MONITOR VERT SPD COMMAND. WHILE WE COULD MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION AT ALL TIMES, IT DIDN'T SEEM LIKE THE BEST WAY TO HANDLE TFC FLOW IN AND OUT OF WASHINGTON. HAVING BEEN BASED IN WASHINGTON FOR 21 YRS, IT SEEMS THAT THE TFC FLOW IS GETTING OVER THE SATURATION POINT FOR THE FLOW PATTERNS IN AND OUT OF THE AREA. I DON'T KNOW OF ANY OTHER TCA WHERE YOU'RE ASKED TO MAINTAIN YOUR OWN SEPARATION BEFORE BEING ISSUED A VISUAL APCH TO THE LNDG RWY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 488335: I AM INCLUDING AS MUCH DETAIL AS POSSIBLE SO THAT THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE. WE DEPARTED IAD RWY 19L. INITIAL DEP FREQ 126.65. ON CONTACT WITH DEP, WE WERE TOLD TURN R HDG 220 DEGS, THEN HDG 250 DEGS, THE HDG 290 DEGS TO INTERCEPT J149 ON COURSE, CLB AND MAINTAIN 10000 FT, THEN CLB AND MAINTAIN 11000 FT, TURN L HDG 180 DEGS, CONTACT IAD DEP 118.67. ON CONTACT WITH 118.67, TOLD US TO MAINTAIN 10000 FT, TURN R APPROX HDG 360 DEGS, THEN L TURN APPROX 200 DEGS, THEN BACK R HDG 360 DEGS, THEN 350 DEGS, THEN HDG 330 DEGS TO INTERCEPT J149, THEN CLRED TO CLB AND MAINTAIN 17000 FT. SHORTLY AFTER THAT, GOT A TA ON TCASII THAT SHOWED ACFT OFF L SIDE 1400 FT ABOVE US AND DSNDING. ATC SAID TURN R HDG 360 DEGS FOR TFC. I OBSERVED AN MD80 OFF THE L SIDE OF THE ACFT HDG TOWARD US AND VERY CLOSE. I SLOWED OUR CLB RATE. THEN WE GOT ANOTHER TA, FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY A DSNDING RA AS HE CLBED THROUGH 12500 FT. WE FOLLOWED THE RA GUIDANCE. TCASII INDICATED, AT THE TIME OF THE RA, THAT THE ACFT (MD80) WAS 300 FT ABOVE US DSNDING, AND WITHIN 1 MI HORIZ. FO INFORMED ATC OF RA AND THAT WE WERE DSNDING. DURING RA MANEUVER, ATC INFORMED US OF TFC AT 7 O'CLOCK, MAINTAIN VISUAL. WE DID NOT, AT ANY TIME, CALL TFC IN SIGHT, NOR DID ATC STOP OUR CLB OR STOP THE OTHER ACFT'S DSCNT. WE WERE THEN TOLD TURN L TO HDG 240 DEGS INTERCEPT J149. WE REQUESTED CTLR'S INITIALS 3 TIMES, AND HE DID NOT ANSWER 3 TIMES. WE DID GET PHONE NUMBER AND FREQ CHANGE. AFTER FREQ CHANGE, I USED #2 VHF TO CALL 118.67 AND REQUEST THAT TAPES BE PULLED (FOR INVESTIGATION). MY CREW AND I BELIEVE THAT THIS CTLR LOST SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. WE ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT HIS APPARENT LACK OF CONCERN BEFORE, DURING OR AFTER THIS EVENT. WHY WERE WE TURNED FROM A SOUTHERLY TO NORTHERLY HDG INTO THE DIRECT PATH OF ANOTHER ACFT? WHEN I SPOKE T MY SUPVR, WHO SPOKE WITH ATC, HE SAID OTHER ACFT 'HAD A VISUAL' ON US. WE, OF COURSE, DID NOT HEAR THAT PART OF THE CONVERSATION. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE IN THE IAD APCH AREA BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED. THIS IS MY 4TH RA IN IAD AIRSPACE IN 2 1/2 YRS.

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.