Narrative:

The copilot was flying the leg from cle to atl. Her control of the aircraft was erratic in the descent, so I was trying to give her some guidance, read the approach checklist and answer radio calls. Approach was giving numerous directions and I missed a few calls. The controller was becoming annoyed. We switched frequency to the final controller. At this time I went to communication #2 to find out our gate assignment. The copilot was flying and monitoring communication #1. The call to gate assignment frequency took longer than anticipated as they were going to switch equipment and wanted to tell me all about it. At this time I noticed the copilot was high (6000') and crossing final. I questioned her actions and questioned ATC about their intentions. The final controller said we had been assigned 4000'. Neither of us had heard or read back 4000'. The controller gave us a 360 degree turn back around to final. On my own part, I have made a mental note to plan ahead more and drop unnecessary tasks such as gate assignments if not completed sooner than 10000'. The copilot I instructed to be more situationally aware and not to allow control to vector her across final or bring her in high west/O questioning them. It is difficult to say, but I believe the controller was deliberately allowing us to drive through final because they were annoyed with us for missing calls. We need controllers to be aware that 2-M aircraft in scheduled operations are in a high workload environment. Sometimes we need them to just hang in there and keep helping. My coplts on average have 1-2 yrs experience on the line. I need and appreciate the extra patience and help.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLT CREW MISSES RADIO CALLS ON APCH INTO ATL.

Narrative: THE COPLT WAS FLYING THE LEG FROM CLE TO ATL. HER CTL OF THE ACFT WAS ERRATIC IN THE DSNT, SO I WAS TRYING TO GIVE HER SOME GUIDANCE, READ THE APCH CHKLIST AND ANSWER RADIO CALLS. APCH WAS GIVING NUMEROUS DIRECTIONS AND I MISSED A FEW CALLS. THE CTLR WAS BECOMING ANNOYED. WE SWITCHED FREQ TO THE FINAL CTLR. AT THIS TIME I WENT TO COM #2 TO FIND OUT OUR GATE ASSIGNMENT. THE COPLT WAS FLYING AND MONITORING COM #1. THE CALL TO GATE ASSIGNMENT FREQ TOOK LONGER THAN ANTICIPATED AS THEY WERE GOING TO SWITCH EQUIP AND WANTED TO TELL ME ALL ABOUT IT. AT THIS TIME I NOTICED THE COPLT WAS HIGH (6000') AND XING FINAL. I QUESTIONED HER ACTIONS AND QUESTIONED ATC ABOUT THEIR INTENTIONS. THE FINAL CTLR SAID WE HAD BEEN ASSIGNED 4000'. NEITHER OF US HAD HEARD OR READ BACK 4000'. THE CTLR GAVE US A 360 DEG TURN BACK AROUND TO FINAL. ON MY OWN PART, I HAVE MADE A MENTAL NOTE TO PLAN AHEAD MORE AND DROP UNNECESSARY TASKS SUCH AS GATE ASSIGNMENTS IF NOT COMPLETED SOONER THAN 10000'. THE COPLT I INSTRUCTED TO BE MORE SITUATIONALLY AWARE AND NOT TO ALLOW CTL TO VECTOR HER ACROSS FINAL OR BRING HER IN HIGH W/O QUESTIONING THEM. IT IS DIFFICULT TO SAY, BUT I BELIEVE THE CTLR WAS DELIBERATELY ALLOWING US TO DRIVE THROUGH FINAL BECAUSE THEY WERE ANNOYED WITH US FOR MISSING CALLS. WE NEED CTLRS TO BE AWARE THAT 2-M ACFT IN SCHEDULED OPS ARE IN A HIGH WORKLOAD ENVIRONMENT. SOMETIMES WE NEED THEM TO JUST HANG IN THERE AND KEEP HELPING. MY COPLTS ON AVERAGE HAVE 1-2 YRS EXPERIENCE ON THE LINE. I NEED AND APPRECIATE THE EXTRA PATIENCE AND HELP.

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.