Narrative:

Flying coatt 2 contacted dca approach at brv VOR. Cleared to cross barin at 5000'. It is tight for an medium large transport, requires concentration. At barin dca approach had not called us, so I called them. No response. (The controller was actively involved working traffic.) I called 2 more times and again no response. At this point I was afraid to do a 180 degree turn and start holding at barin because there were at least 3 flts right behind us, all cleared to cross barin at 5000'. There was an opening in the radio traffic, so I asked if they wanted us to return to barin to hold. At this pint the controller's voice changed (new controller) and we received our normal clearance and iad approach frequency. In this case, I was faced with risking a violation (flying beyond clearance limit) or flying an unsafe procedure (holding at barin). Problems: coatt 2 should not involve 2 different approach facs. The approach corridor is very narrow and restr and causes many problems. Change the clearance and coatt 2 to allow a flight to proceed direct armel past the approach fix.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF MLG CLEARED TO BARIN INTXN WHERE THEY EXPECTED FURTHER RADAR VECTORS. UNABLE TO CONTACT APCH CTLR, FLEW PAST BARIN. FINALLY CONTACTED APCH CTL AND RECEIVED NORMAL CLRNC TO IAD.

Narrative: FLYING COATT 2 CONTACTED DCA APCH AT BRV VOR. CLRED TO CROSS BARIN AT 5000'. IT IS TIGHT FOR AN MLG, REQUIRES CONCENTRATION. AT BARIN DCA APCH HAD NOT CALLED US, SO I CALLED THEM. NO RESPONSE. (THE CTLR WAS ACTIVELY INVOLVED WORKING TFC.) I CALLED 2 MORE TIMES AND AGAIN NO RESPONSE. AT THIS POINT I WAS AFRAID TO DO A 180 DEG TURN AND START HOLDING AT BARIN BECAUSE THERE WERE AT LEAST 3 FLTS RIGHT BEHIND US, ALL CLRED TO CROSS BARIN AT 5000'. THERE WAS AN OPENING IN THE RADIO TFC, SO I ASKED IF THEY WANTED US TO RETURN TO BARIN TO HOLD. AT THIS PINT THE CTLR'S VOICE CHANGED (NEW CTLR) AND WE RECEIVED OUR NORMAL CLRNC AND IAD APCH FREQ. IN THIS CASE, I WAS FACED WITH RISKING A VIOLATION (FLYING BEYOND CLRNC LIMIT) OR FLYING AN UNSAFE PROC (HOLDING AT BARIN). PROBS: COATT 2 SHOULD NOT INVOLVE 2 DIFFERENT APCH FACS. THE APCH CORRIDOR IS VERY NARROW AND RESTR AND CAUSES MANY PROBS. CHANGE THE CLRNC AND COATT 2 TO ALLOW A FLT TO PROCEED DIRECT ARMEL PAST THE APCH FIX.

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.