A B737 flight crew is forgotten about by iad approach.

Attributes
ACN	526220
Time
Date	200110
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bwi.airport
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl single value : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : phx.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival star : westminster 3
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 13750 flight time type : 6200
ASRS Report	526220
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

I, the first officer was flying on the EM13 arrival to bwi. During the final segment of the arrival we were switched from center to dulles approach. Dulles approach gave us a very standard 'descend to 5000 ft turn heading 100 degrees.' cruising at 5000 ft we were in VFR with good visibility, the airport was in sight. When we reached the point where we would normally make a turn south toward the airport, I asked the captain 'where is he (ATC) taking us?' the captain replied he was thinking the same thing. The entire time we were approaching there was constant radio chatter between dulles and other aircraft. When ATC was questioned about a turn, the controller seem confused and could not give us any instruction. Not wanting to stray too far from a normal approach path the captain switched to a known bwi approach frequency and made contact. We were vectored to the visual runway 33L with a normal landing. Bwi ground control requested that we contact the TRACON and gave a phone number. The captain made the call. I am uncertain as to how or why we did not receive a switch to bwi approach sooner or why the controller we had, lost us or if a missed frequency was made on board our aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737 FLT CREW IS FORGOTTEN ABOUT BY IAD APCH.

Narrative: I, THE FO WAS FLYING ON THE EM13 ARR TO BWI. DURING THE FINAL SEGMENT OF THE ARR WE WERE SWITCHED FROM CTR TO DULLES APCH. DULLES APCH GAVE US A VERY STANDARD 'DSND TO 5000 FT TURN HEADING 100 DEGS.' CRUISING AT 5000 FT WE WERE IN VFR WITH GOOD VISIBILITY, THE ARPT WAS IN SIGHT. WHEN WE REACHED THE POINT WHERE WE WOULD NORMALLY MAKE A TURN S TOWARD THE ARPT, I ASKED THE CAPT 'WHERE IS HE (ATC) TAKING US?' THE CAPT REPLIED HE WAS THINKING THE SAME THING. THE ENTIRE TIME WE WERE APCHING THERE WAS CONSTANT RADIO CHATTER BTWN DULLES AND OTHER ACFT. WHEN ATC WAS QUESTIONED ABOUT A TURN, THE CTLR SEEM CONFUSED AND COULD NOT GIVE US ANY INSTRUCTION. NOT WANTING TO STRAY TOO FAR FROM A NORMAL APCH PATH THE CAPT SWITCHED TO A KNOWN BWI APCH FREQ AND MADE CONTACT. WE WERE VECTORED TO THE VISUAL RWY 33L WITH A NORMAL LNDG. BWI GND CTL REQUESTED THAT WE CONTACT THE TRACON AND GAVE A PHONE NUMBER. THE CAPT MADE THE CALL. I AM UNCERTAIN AS TO HOW OR WHY WE DID NOT RECEIVE A SWITCH TO BWI APCH SOONER OR WHY THE CTLR WE HAD, LOST US OR IF A MISSED FREQ WAS MADE ON BOARD OUR ACFT.

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.