A C560 cpr flight crew encounters an apparent coordination problem between iad and bwi.

Attributes
ACN	431143
Time
Date	199903
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fdk.airport
State Reference	MD
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Snow
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bwi.tracon
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Citation V
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other other
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 9 flight time total : 4600 flight time type : 179
ASRS Report	431143
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : executed go around
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

We were cleared to susii. We were then handed off to bwi approach (who didn't seem to know what approach we were requesting) about 8 mi outside of susii. She informed us that there would be a delay because they were waiting for a departure off fdk. We went over top fdk at I believe 3000 ft and at that time she cleared us for the approach. I told her we were too close to the airport and needed a box pattern vectors around for susii waypoint. After vectoring us around she then 'cleared us for the GPS runway 5 approach at fdk, maintain 3000 ft until susii inbound.' after we read the clearance back she asked us to call ATC and gave us the phone number. We shot the approach from about 5 mi outside of susii and missed -- got vectors for the ILS runway 23 and got in ok that way. It appears that we had the WX go down significantly while we were being vectored around. It also appears that she is not able to provide vectors to final approach course. After an uneventful trip home to gso, I called bwi approach (even though I wasn't the captain on the trip and I wasn't the PF). The supervisor (who was very nice and professional) asked me for my opinion about this matter. Since dulles approach apparently owns the airspace west of mrb VOR, then why did they clear us direct to susii knowing full well we wanted to do the GPS runway 5 approach? And never told bwi approach of our intentions? If bwi approach can't vector us onto final approach course, then why didn't dulles approach do so? Or better yet, why didn't dulles approach make us start the approach from the IAF which is mrb so they could clear us for the approach? Instead we were cleared to susii waypoint and handed off to bwi approach. In my opinion, I think the airspace there needs to be looked at (at least how it reflects on this approach procedure). Pilots will get a false idea, as I/we did, of how this approach can begin. Or maybe the handoff procedure could include some more specific instructions about what approach the pilot is requesting.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C560 CPR FLC ENCOUNTERS AN APPARENT COORD PROB BTWN IAD AND BWI.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED TO SUSII. WE WERE THEN HANDED OFF TO BWI APCH (WHO DIDN'T SEEM TO KNOW WHAT APCH WE WERE REQUESTING) ABOUT 8 MI OUTSIDE OF SUSII. SHE INFORMED US THAT THERE WOULD BE A DELAY BECAUSE THEY WERE WAITING FOR A DEP OFF FDK. WE WENT OVER TOP FDK AT I BELIEVE 3000 FT AND AT THAT TIME SHE CLRED US FOR THE APCH. I TOLD HER WE WERE TOO CLOSE TO THE ARPT AND NEEDED A BOX PATTERN VECTORS AROUND FOR SUSII WAYPOINT. AFTER VECTORING US AROUND SHE THEN 'CLRED US FOR THE GPS RWY 5 APCH AT FDK, MAINTAIN 3000 FT UNTIL SUSII INBOUND.' AFTER WE READ THE CLRNC BACK SHE ASKED US TO CALL ATC AND GAVE US THE PHONE NUMBER. WE SHOT THE APCH FROM ABOUT 5 MI OUTSIDE OF SUSII AND MISSED -- GOT VECTORS FOR THE ILS RWY 23 AND GOT IN OK THAT WAY. IT APPEARS THAT WE HAD THE WX GO DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY WHILE WE WERE BEING VECTORED AROUND. IT ALSO APPEARS THAT SHE IS NOT ABLE TO PROVIDE VECTORS TO FINAL APCH COURSE. AFTER AN UNEVENTFUL TRIP HOME TO GSO, I CALLED BWI APCH (EVEN THOUGH I WASN'T THE CAPT ON THE TRIP AND I WASN'T THE PF). THE SUPVR (WHO WAS VERY NICE AND PROFESSIONAL) ASKED ME FOR MY OPINION ABOUT THIS MATTER. SINCE DULLES APCH APPARENTLY OWNS THE AIRSPACE W OF MRB VOR, THEN WHY DID THEY CLR US DIRECT TO SUSII KNOWING FULL WELL WE WANTED TO DO THE GPS RWY 5 APCH? AND NEVER TOLD BWI APCH OF OUR INTENTIONS? IF BWI APCH CAN'T VECTOR US ONTO FINAL APCH COURSE, THEN WHY DIDN'T DULLES APCH DO SO? OR BETTER YET, WHY DIDN'T DULLES APCH MAKE US START THE APCH FROM THE IAF WHICH IS MRB SO THEY COULD CLR US FOR THE APCH? INSTEAD WE WERE CLRED TO SUSII WAYPOINT AND HANDED OFF TO BWI APCH. IN MY OPINION, I THINK THE AIRSPACE THERE NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT (AT LEAST HOW IT REFLECTS ON THIS APCH PROC). PLTS WILL GET A FALSE IDEA, AS I/WE DID, OF HOW THIS APCH CAN BEGIN. OR MAYBE THE HDOF PROC COULD INCLUDE SOME MORE SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT WHAT APCH THE PLT IS REQUESTING.

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.