Narrative:

Location: 4.5 mi south of dca. Dca ATIS was giving landing runways 33 and 36. During the mt vernon visual approach to runway 36, we had just changed to tower and were cleared to land on runway 33 approximately 4.5 mi out on final. This change meant a lot of heads down time for my first officer to check the numbers and the delay resulted in less than desirable position for a runway 33 landing and an uncomfortable approach and landing on runway 33. I feel ATIS should have a message 'aircraft approaching runway 36 may be asked to land runway 33.' in the future I will just refuse runway 33 if not given adequate notice.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF S80 PREPARES FOR LNDG ON RWY 36, VISUAL APCH. WHEN 4 PT 5 MI OUT THEY ARE SWITCHED TO RWY 33. AN UNSTABLE APCH RESULTS.

Narrative: LOCATION: 4.5 MI S OF DCA. DCA ATIS WAS GIVING LNDG RWYS 33 AND 36. DURING THE MT VERNON VISUAL APCH TO RWY 36, WE HAD JUST CHANGED TO TWR AND WERE CLRED TO LAND ON RWY 33 APPROX 4.5 MI OUT ON FINAL. THIS CHANGE MEANT A LOT OF HEADS DOWN TIME FOR MY FO TO CHK THE NUMBERS AND THE DELAY RESULTED IN LESS THAN DESIRABLE POS FOR A RWY 33 LNDG AND AN UNCOMFORTABLE APCH AND LNDG ON RWY 33. I FEEL ATIS SHOULD HAVE A MESSAGE 'ACFT APCHING RWY 36 MAY BE ASKED TO LAND RWY 33.' IN THE FUTURE I WILL JUST REFUSE RWY 33 IF NOT GIVEN ADEQUATE NOTICE.

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.