A320 flight crew assigned outdated STAR after delay vectors.

Attributes
ACN	444763
Time
Date	199908
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : gso.vortac
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl single value : 26000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc artcc : ztl.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 11500 flight time type : 6500
ASRS Report	444763
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

Traffic saturation into dca. Assigned 180 degree vector for spacing. ATC would not issue us expect clearance or state nature of vector. 10 mins without holding or clearance, then issued clearance to dca with a STAR which did not exist, heintz 5, then issued old arrival -- irons 2 -- then irons 3, and finally assigned irons 4 after numerous complaints that the arrival assigned by ATC was out of date. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter indicated that the center controller was obviously working under stressful conditions with a lien of thunderstorms to the northeast causing delays and rertes into the dca area. After receiving vectors with no explanation, the reporter attempted to contact the controller for an explanation, but was unable due to frequency congestion. The controller eventually cleared the flight for a STAR arrival that was non existent. After several different STAR assignments, the controller eventually cleared the flight for an irons 4 arrival, which was the current STAR. The reporter did not attempt to clarify the situation after his arrival, but was concerned about the lack of currency exhibited by the controller.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 FLC ASSIGNED OUTDATED STAR AFTER DELAY VECTORS.

Narrative: TFC SATURATION INTO DCA. ASSIGNED 180 DEG VECTOR FOR SPACING. ATC WOULD NOT ISSUE US EXPECT CLRNC OR STATE NATURE OF VECTOR. 10 MINS WITHOUT HOLDING OR CLRNC, THEN ISSUED CLRNC TO DCA WITH A STAR WHICH DID NOT EXIST, HEINTZ 5, THEN ISSUED OLD ARR -- IRONS 2 -- THEN IRONS 3, AND FINALLY ASSIGNED IRONS 4 AFTER NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS THAT THE ARR ASSIGNED BY ATC WAS OUT OF DATE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR INDICATED THAT THE CTR CTLR WAS OBVIOUSLY WORKING UNDER STRESSFUL CONDITIONS WITH A LIEN OF TSTMS TO THE NE CAUSING DELAYS AND RERTES INTO THE DCA AREA. AFTER RECEIVING VECTORS WITH NO EXPLANATION, THE RPTR ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT THE CTLR FOR AN EXPLANATION, BUT WAS UNABLE DUE TO FREQ CONGESTION. THE CTLR EVENTUALLY CLRED THE FLT FOR A STAR ARR THAT WAS NON EXISTENT. AFTER SEVERAL DIFFERENT STAR ASSIGNMENTS, THE CTLR EVENTUALLY CLRED THE FLT FOR AN IRONS 4 ARR, WHICH WAS THE CURRENT STAR. THE RPTR DID NOT ATTEMPT TO CLARIFY THE SIT AFTER HIS ARR, BUT WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE LACK OF CURRENCY EXHIBITED BY THE CTLR.

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.