Narrative:

The WX at atlanta en route and at dulles was perfect. We left atlanta with 2.6 of holding fuel and no alternate. About 50 mi south of flat rock (fak) we were slowed, given a descent to FL240 and vector to a westerly heading. Then we were given a 100 degree heading which we flew for about 15-20 mins. After that we were given a 60 degree heading which headed us towards brv (we were not cleared direct to brv). The controller was obviously very busy with too much traffic. Other airplanes were cleared to cross brv at 11,000', but we were not. When we were 10 mi south of brv at 24,000', ATC gave us a 190 degree heading after established on the 190 degree heading I asked the controller how long were the delays going into dulles airport. He answered we have too much traffic in this sector and we have a problem here. As we continued south I used ACARS to ask dispatch to contact us. I told dispatch our heading location, fuel on board and that we were unable to determine when we might be able to get into dulles airspace. I suggested that we land at richmond and get some fuel. Dispatch agreed. Shortly after that ATC gave us a heading change to 230 degree. We then advised ATC that we would be going into richmond and they acknowledged this. By now richmond was a few mi to the east of our position and there would be absolutely no problem getting there because we would have to close the throttles and lose a lot of altitude before beginning the approach. We had more than enough fuel to land at richmond. We continued on a 230 degree heading to 24,000' until some 20 mi southeast of richmond, when ATC gave us a clearance direct brv. I told ATC for the second time we were going into richmond. ATC answered emphatically and unequivocally, negative, you are cleared direct brv, coatt two arrival dulles. Since I was not willing to comply with this ATC clearance, I declared an emergency and told ATC for the third time where we are going. We momentarily were cleared to richmond. What caused the problem is when I asked ATC how long the delays would be going in dulles they were unable to provide me with any meaningful information. What can be done to prevent a recurrence? Do not overload a controller to such a degree that communications become so constrained that there isn't time for meaningful communications. I think a pilot should be given some sort of ballpark figure as to the extent of delays so he can plan his fuel requirements.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG FLT CREW GOING INTO IAD EXPERIENCES DELAYING VECTORS AT FL240 AND REQUESTS DIVERSION TO RIC DUE TO LOW FUEL. ATC INITIALLY REFUSES DIVERSION REQUEST, WHEREUPON FLT CREW DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND THEY WERE SUBSEQUENTLY ROUTED TO RIC.

Narrative: THE WX AT ATLANTA ENRTE AND AT DULLES WAS PERFECT. WE LEFT ATLANTA WITH 2.6 OF HOLDING FUEL AND NO ALTERNATE. ABOUT 50 MI S OF FLAT ROCK (FAK) WE WERE SLOWED, GIVEN A DSCNT TO FL240 AND VECTOR TO A WESTERLY HDG. THEN WE WERE GIVEN A 100 DEG HDG WHICH WE FLEW FOR ABOUT 15-20 MINS. AFTER THAT WE WERE GIVEN A 60 DEG HDG WHICH HEADED US TOWARDS BRV (WE WERE NOT CLRED DIRECT TO BRV). THE CTLR WAS OBVIOUSLY VERY BUSY WITH TOO MUCH TFC. OTHER AIRPLANES WERE CLRED TO CROSS BRV AT 11,000', BUT WE WERE NOT. WHEN WE WERE 10 MI S OF BRV AT 24,000', ATC GAVE US A 190 DEG HDG AFTER ESTABLISHED ON THE 190 DEG HDG I ASKED THE CTLR HOW LONG WERE THE DELAYS GOING INTO DULLES ARPT. HE ANSWERED WE HAVE TOO MUCH TFC IN THIS SECTOR AND WE HAVE A PROBLEM HERE. AS WE CONTINUED S I USED ACARS TO ASK DISPATCH TO CONTACT US. I TOLD DISPATCH OUR HDG LOCATION, FUEL ON BOARD AND THAT WE WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHEN WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET INTO DULLES AIRSPACE. I SUGGESTED THAT WE LAND AT RICHMOND AND GET SOME FUEL. DISPATCH AGREED. SHORTLY AFTER THAT ATC GAVE US A HDG CHANGE TO 230 DEG. WE THEN ADVISED ATC THAT WE WOULD BE GOING INTO RICHMOND AND THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THIS. BY NOW RICHMOND WAS A FEW MI TO THE E OF OUR POSITION AND THERE WOULD BE ABSOLUTELY NO PROBLEM GETTING THERE BECAUSE WE WOULD HAVE TO CLOSE THE THROTTLES AND LOSE A LOT OF ALT BEFORE BEGINNING THE APCH. WE HAD MORE THAN ENOUGH FUEL TO LAND AT RICHMOND. WE CONTINUED ON A 230 DEG HDG TO 24,000' UNTIL SOME 20 MI SE OF RICHMOND, WHEN ATC GAVE US A CLRNC DIRECT BRV. I TOLD ATC FOR THE SECOND TIME WE WERE GOING INTO RICHMOND. ATC ANSWERED EMPHATICALLY AND UNEQUIVOCALLY, NEGATIVE, YOU ARE CLRED DIRECT BRV, COATT TWO ARRIVAL DULLES. SINCE I WAS NOT WILLING TO COMPLY WITH THIS ATC CLRNC, I DECLARED AN EMER AND TOLD ATC FOR THE THIRD TIME WHERE WE ARE GOING. WE MOMENTARILY WERE CLRED TO RICHMOND. WHAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM IS WHEN I ASKED ATC HOW LONG THE DELAYS WOULD BE GOING IN DULLES THEY WERE UNABLE TO PROVIDE ME WITH ANY MEANINGFUL INFO. WHAT CAN BE DONE TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE? DO NOT OVERLOAD A CTLR TO SUCH A DEGREE THAT COMS BECOME SO CONSTRAINED THAT THERE ISN'T TIME FOR MEANINGFUL COMS. I THINK A PLT SHOULD BE GIVEN SOME SORT OF BALLPARK FIGURE AS TO THE EXTENT OF DELAYS SO HE CAN PLAN HIS FUEL REQUIREMENTS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.