A B737 PIC vents his frustration about the attitude and apparent lack of professionalism exhibited w...

Attributes
ACN	508440
Time
Date	200104
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : pxt.vortac
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl single value : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ind.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : direct enroute airway : j52.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 510
ASRS Report	508440
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Intra Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

As we were proceeding north on J92 between rdu and ric, we were given several vectors 'for spacing into ewr.' we were subsequently cleared 'direct hpn,' which was not on our route. We asked the controller (ZDC) about this and were reclred 'direct hpn.J99.pxt, rest of route unchanged.' as we neared hpn, we were given another vector for 'spacing.' then, a few mins later, given a heading to intercept J55. This heading did not seem very good, but would probably intercept very near pxt. We were then given another frequency change. On the new frequency, the controller seemed rushed and agitated. I would use the term 'jerk.' he was deriding everyone for 'second call' despite the fact that there were some occasionally blocked radio calls. He gave us a new heading to intercept J55. As we neared pxt, he called us complaining that we were not 'flying very well' and were '6 mi off course.' as the DME read 7.7 and we were at FL310, this was not possible. He then told another air carrier flight that we were the reason that they had gotten vectors earlier and to 'talk to us on the ground.' over the yrs that I have been flying through ZDC, they have been getting worse. Their mistake rate is going up and their patience going down. This sector is an accident waiting to happen.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737 PIC VENTS HIS FRUSTRATION ABOUT THE ATTITUDE AND APPARENT LACK OF PROFESSIONALISM EXHIBITED WITHIN THE ATC STRUCTURE OF THE ARTCC RADAR CTLRS AT ZDC, DC.

Narrative: AS WE WERE PROCEEDING N ON J92 BTWN RDU AND RIC, WE WERE GIVEN SEVERAL VECTORS 'FOR SPACING INTO EWR.' WE WERE SUBSEQUENTLY CLRED 'DIRECT HPN,' WHICH WAS NOT ON OUR RTE. WE ASKED THE CTLR (ZDC) ABOUT THIS AND WERE RECLRED 'DIRECT HPN.J99.PXT, REST OF RTE UNCHANGED.' AS WE NEARED HPN, WE WERE GIVEN ANOTHER VECTOR FOR 'SPACING.' THEN, A FEW MINS LATER, GIVEN A HDG TO INTERCEPT J55. THIS HDG DID NOT SEEM VERY GOOD, BUT WOULD PROBABLY INTERCEPT VERY NEAR PXT. WE WERE THEN GIVEN ANOTHER FREQ CHANGE. ON THE NEW FREQ, THE CTLR SEEMED RUSHED AND AGITATED. I WOULD USE THE TERM 'JERK.' HE WAS DERIDING EVERYONE FOR 'SECOND CALL' DESPITE THE FACT THAT THERE WERE SOME OCCASIONALLY BLOCKED RADIO CALLS. HE GAVE US A NEW HDG TO INTERCEPT J55. AS WE NEARED PXT, HE CALLED US COMPLAINING THAT WE WERE NOT 'FLYING VERY WELL' AND WERE '6 MI OFF COURSE.' AS THE DME READ 7.7 AND WE WERE AT FL310, THIS WAS NOT POSSIBLE. HE THEN TOLD ANOTHER ACR FLT THAT WE WERE THE REASON THAT THEY HAD GOTTEN VECTORS EARLIER AND TO 'TALK TO US ON THE GND.' OVER THE YRS THAT I HAVE BEEN FLYING THROUGH ZDC, THEY HAVE BEEN GETTING WORSE. THEIR MISTAKE RATE IS GOING UP AND THEIR PATIENCE GOING DOWN. THIS SECTOR IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN.

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.

A B737 PIC vents his frustration about the attitude and apparent lack of professionalism exhibited within the ATC structure of the ARTCC radar controllers at ZDC, dc.