B737 captain reports being cleared direct ranjr after initially holding for landing dca. A weather d...

Narrative:

Following holding; divert planning; and actually making the turn to the divert airport; we were told they could get us into dca. (We had plenty of fuel as we started divert early based on estimated holding time). We were cleared direct to ranjr and immediately saw we needed to deviate north of course for weather after ranjr. We were cleared to deviate left as necessary and turned about 15 left. As were trying to brief the arrival; get the ATIS; set up the FMC; and get the flight attendants seated; we remained on heading. We were told to expedite to FL210 and given a frequency change. Then expat sector asked where we were going and said we were headed toward everybody else. Another controller came on (supervisor?) and gave is an immediate 90-degree (approximately) turn. Remainder of flight was uneventful. Not sure. We were task saturated and so was ATC. We worked as a team and did everything we could.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 Captain reports being cleared direct RANJR after initially holding for landing DCA. A weather deviation is requested and approved (15 left) then a frequency change. The next sector asks where they are going and issues a 90 degree heading change.

Narrative: Following holding; divert planning; and actually making the turn to the divert airport; we were told they could get us into DCA. (We had plenty of fuel as we started divert early based on estimated holding time). We were cleared direct to RANJR and immediately saw we needed to deviate north of course for weather after RANJR. We were cleared to deviate left as necessary and turned about 15 left. As were trying to brief the arrival; get the ATIS; set up the FMC; and get the flight attendants seated; we remained on heading. We were told to expedite to FL210 and given a frequency change. Then EXPAT Sector asked where we were going and said we were headed toward everybody else. Another controller came on (Supervisor?) and gave is an immediate 90-degree (approximately) turn. Remainder of flight was uneventful. Not sure. We were task saturated and so was ATC. We worked as a team and did everything we could.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.

Attributes
ACN	1197347
Time
Date	201408
Place
Locale Reference	ZDC.ARTCC
State Reference	VA
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	B737-700
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Descent
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Captain
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 6
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types Conflict Airborne Conflict Deviation - Procedural Clearance Deviation - Track / Heading All Types Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence

B737 captain reports being cleared direct ranjr after initially holding for landing dca. A weather deviation is requested and approved (15 left) then a frequency change. The next sector asks where they are going and issues a 90 degree heading change.