Narrative:

Flight arriving iad at night in VFR conditions on a vector to a visual approach for runway 1R, arriving from the nnw. Being vectored for a radar left traffic pattern, 20-30 mi radius from airport. From the heavy radio traffic it appeared only 1 controller working the initial and final approach sectors and there were aircraft training at nearby satellite uncontrolled airports, as well as arriving commuter flts. Our position, 7-10 mi ssw of iad on a ene heading for runway 1R. Aircraft was being hand flown in a VFR descent at 500-700 FPM, to the cleared altitude of 3000 ft. The airport, runways 12 and 1L could be seen, but not runway 1R. Controller wanted us to report runway 1R in sight for a visual approach clearance. When we could not report it in sight the controller vectored us to a nne heading. The PF questioned the heading with the crew to verify that the assigned heading was what was heard, because the assigned heading took the aircraft away from the final approach course for runway 1R without the runway in sight. The aircraft position now was about 3-5 mi from airport, 1/2 mi to the west of the extended centerline of runway 1L heading nne. PNF response was that this vector was given to allow separation with a commuter aircraft on a right base to follow us to runway 1R. PF felt aircraft was becoming high and close-in for a visual approach to runway 1R. Checked altitude of aircraft and aircraft was at 2800 ft descending. PF started to arrest the descent and questioned the PNF about the cleared altitude. The response was 3000 ft last remembered altitude assigned and a climb started back to 3000 ft. About this time visual approach clearance was given and the flight resumed an ene heading to intercept the runway 1R final approach course. Descent re- established with normal approach and landing and arrival. In future, recommend the PF use autoplt till established on final approach course in order to free up mental workload to better improve situational awareness. Also use lowest approach speed ATC will approve until cleared for the approach and established on final.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 ACFT IN DSCNT AND HEADING VECTORS OVERSHOT ASSIGNED ALT, BUT CORRECTED BACK. CTLR ISSUED VISUAL APCH.

Narrative: FLT ARRIVING IAD AT NIGHT IN VFR CONDITIONS ON A VECTOR TO A VISUAL APCH FOR RWY 1R, ARRIVING FROM THE NNW. BEING VECTORED FOR A RADAR L TFC PATTERN, 20-30 MI RADIUS FROM ARPT. FROM THE HVY RADIO TFC IT APPEARED ONLY 1 CTLR WORKING THE INITIAL AND FINAL APCH SECTORS AND THERE WERE ACFT TRAINING AT NEARBY SATELLITE UNCTLED ARPTS, AS WELL AS ARRIVING COMMUTER FLTS. OUR POS, 7-10 MI SSW OF IAD ON A ENE HEADING FOR RWY 1R. ACFT WAS BEING HAND FLOWN IN A VFR DSCNT AT 500-700 FPM, TO THE CLRED ALT OF 3000 FT. THE ARPT, RWYS 12 AND 1L COULD BE SEEN, BUT NOT RWY 1R. CTLR WANTED US TO RPT RWY 1R IN SIGHT FOR A VISUAL APCH CLRNC. WHEN WE COULD NOT RPT IT IN SIGHT THE CTLR VECTORED US TO A NNE HEADING. THE PF QUESTIONED THE HEADING WITH THE CREW TO VERIFY THAT THE ASSIGNED HEADING WAS WHAT WAS HEARD, BECAUSE THE ASSIGNED HEADING TOOK THE ACFT AWAY FROM THE FINAL APCH COURSE FOR RWY 1R WITHOUT THE RWY IN SIGHT. THE ACFT POS NOW WAS ABOUT 3-5 MI FROM ARPT, 1/2 MI TO THE W OF THE EXTENDED CTRLINE OF RWY 1L HEADING NNE. PNF RESPONSE WAS THAT THIS VECTOR WAS GIVEN TO ALLOW SEPARATION WITH A COMMUTER ACFT ON A R BASE TO FOLLOW US TO RWY 1R. PF FELT ACFT WAS BECOMING HIGH AND CLOSE-IN FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 1R. CHKED ALT OF ACFT AND ACFT WAS AT 2800 FT DSNDING. PF STARTED TO ARREST THE DSCNT AND QUESTIONED THE PNF ABOUT THE CLRED ALT. THE RESPONSE WAS 3000 FT LAST REMEMBERED ALT ASSIGNED AND A CLB STARTED BACK TO 3000 FT. ABOUT THIS TIME VISUAL APCH CLRNC WAS GIVEN AND THE FLT RESUMED AN ENE HEADING TO INTERCEPT THE RWY 1R FINAL APCH COURSE. DSCNT RE- ESTABLISHED WITH NORMAL APCH AND LNDG AND ARR. IN FUTURE, RECOMMEND THE PF USE AUTOPLT TILL ESTABLISHED ON FINAL APCH COURSE IN ORDER TO FREE UP MENTAL WORKLOAD TO BETTER IMPROVE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. ALSO USE LOWEST APCH SPD ATC WILL APPROVE UNTIL CLRED FOR THE APCH AND ESTABLISHED ON FINAL.

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.