Narrative:

Cleared VOR/DME lyh by ZDC. ATC was very busy and very behind. He cleared us for the approach approximately 15 mi out at 6000 ft. He left us very high but we were prepared to get it down and were configured also. We focused on the approach because there was a thunderstorm bordering the field. Center failed to terminate radar service and switch us to tower. So, my first officer called tower on #2 communication while I continued to monitor #1 communication. I tried to break through, but the frequency was just too congested. My first officer advised cleared to land so we landed with appropriate clearance. Also, our last reported visibility on ATIS was VFR, but it had dropped significantly on the approach due to rain. I advised tower on taxi in that center got too busy and never terminated radar service or switched us. He said he'd advise: no problems were expressed by him. ZDC seems extremely overloaded and they have very poor ATC service into and out of the smaller fields on the east coast such as lyh and hgr. They often leave you very high over the field and expect you to remedy everything. They'll also get you high over an airport and just quit communicating with you when you need them the most.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR LTT CREW FEELS THAT IT WAS LEFT HIGH AND OUT OF TOUCH WITH THE WORLD BELOW.

Narrative: CLRED VOR/DME LYH BY ZDC. ATC WAS VERY BUSY AND VERY BEHIND. HE CLRED US FOR THE APCH APPROX 15 MI OUT AT 6000 FT. HE LEFT US VERY HIGH BUT WE WERE PREPARED TO GET IT DOWN AND WERE CONFIGURED ALSO. WE FOCUSED ON THE APCH BECAUSE THERE WAS A TSTM BORDERING THE FIELD. CTR FAILED TO TERMINATE RADAR SVC AND SWITCH US TO TWR. SO, MY FO CALLED TWR ON #2 COM WHILE I CONTINUED TO MONITOR #1 COM. I TRIED TO BREAK THROUGH, BUT THE FREQ WAS JUST TOO CONGESTED. MY FO ADVISED CLRED TO LAND SO WE LANDED WITH APPROPRIATE CLRNC. ALSO, OUR LAST RPTED VISIBILITY ON ATIS WAS VFR, BUT IT HAD DROPPED SIGNIFICANTLY ON THE APCH DUE TO RAIN. I ADVISED TWR ON TAXI IN THAT CTR GOT TOO BUSY AND NEVER TERMINATED RADAR SVC OR SWITCHED US. HE SAID HE'D ADVISE: NO PROBS WERE EXPRESSED BY HIM. ZDC SEEMS EXTREMELY OVERLOADED AND THEY HAVE VERY POOR ATC SVC INTO AND OUT OF THE SMALLER FIELDS ON THE E COAST SUCH AS LYH AND HGR. THEY OFTEN LEAVE YOU VERY HIGH OVER THE FIELD AND EXPECT YOU TO REMEDY EVERYTHING. THEY'LL ALSO GET YOU HIGH OVER AN ARPT AND JUST QUIT COMMUNICATING WITH YOU WHEN YOU NEED THEM THE MOST.

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.