Narrative:

The flight was executing the finks 2 arrival to dca. 40 DME from aml with clearance to descend to 11000', the flight began to experience increasingly severe turbulence in cloud formations north of the published arrival. These formations had shown only scattered, light returns on radar, but were, in any case, very turbulent. The controller was issuing vectors and instructions to other flts in rapid succession west/O pause. 4 calls were ignored until I announced that I was changing course and climbing. A heated discussion concerning available headings and altitudes ensued. The ATC attitude was, 'I have traffic everywhere--you have to stay on your heading.' I had requested any e-erly or s-erly heading. The ATC system is not capable of handling today's vol of traffic safely--particularly in the east where it appears to be staffed by the dregs of the system. Supplemental information from acn 129164: captain elected to climb above the WX, and so informed approach. Initially it seemed we would level below 18000' MSL, but then climbed above that. In the confusion of the WX and talking with approach and center, we failed to reset altimeters to 29.92 at FL180. We leveled at 19000' MSL and were vectored clear of the WX. With the very low local altimeter setting (29.28), we were off of assigned altitudes by several hundred ft. It seemed with the amount of traffic the approach controller had, he was unable to help us when we required assistance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG INFLT ENCOUNTER WITH TURBULENCE. PIC TAKES WX AVOIDANCE ACTION WITHOUT ATC CLRNC.

Narrative: THE FLT WAS EXECUTING THE FINKS 2 ARR TO DCA. 40 DME FROM AML WITH CLRNC TO DSND TO 11000', THE FLT BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE INCREASINGLY SEVERE TURB IN CLOUD FORMATIONS N OF THE PUBLISHED ARR. THESE FORMATIONS HAD SHOWN ONLY SCATTERED, LIGHT RETURNS ON RADAR, BUT WERE, IN ANY CASE, VERY TURBULENT. THE CTLR WAS ISSUING VECTORS AND INSTRUCTIONS TO OTHER FLTS IN RAPID SUCCESSION W/O PAUSE. 4 CALLS WERE IGNORED UNTIL I ANNOUNCED THAT I WAS CHANGING COURSE AND CLBING. A HEATED DISCUSSION CONCERNING AVAILABLE HDGS AND ALTS ENSUED. THE ATC ATTITUDE WAS, 'I HAVE TFC EVERYWHERE--YOU HAVE TO STAY ON YOUR HDG.' I HAD REQUESTED ANY E-ERLY OR S-ERLY HDG. THE ATC SYS IS NOT CAPABLE OF HANDLING TODAY'S VOL OF TFC SAFELY--PARTICULARLY IN THE E WHERE IT APPEARS TO BE STAFFED BY THE DREGS OF THE SYS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 129164: CAPT ELECTED TO CLB ABOVE THE WX, AND SO INFORMED APCH. INITIALLY IT SEEMED WE WOULD LEVEL BELOW 18000' MSL, BUT THEN CLBED ABOVE THAT. IN THE CONFUSION OF THE WX AND TALKING WITH APCH AND CENTER, WE FAILED TO RESET ALTIMETERS TO 29.92 AT FL180. WE LEVELED AT 19000' MSL AND WERE VECTORED CLR OF THE WX. WITH THE VERY LOW LCL ALTIMETER SETTING (29.28), WE WERE OFF OF ASSIGNED ALTS BY SEVERAL HUNDRED FT. IT SEEMED WITH THE AMOUNT OF TFC THE APCH CTLR HAD, HE WAS UNABLE TO HELP US WHEN WE REQUIRED ASSISTANCE.

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.