Astra jet crew was given poor handling by dca TRACON.

Attributes
ACN	465481
Time
Date	200003
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : dca.vor
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dca.tracon tower : bos.tower
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	IAI1125 (Astra)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other other vortac
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 : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 16500 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	465481
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airspace Structure ATC Human Performance FAA
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Intra Facility Coordination Failure
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : dca.tracon staffing : dca.tracon

Narrative:

Departed iad radar vectors to dca, assigned altitude 3000 ft MSL. All went well -- all checklists completed -- until approach controller handed us off to final controller. New controller didn't know who we were, had us change transponder code, couldn't locate us. We were headed directly to dca at 3000 ft and at 5.7 mi I told him our location, destination and altitude. He immediately handed us off to the final controller on 119.85. Considering his quick handoff and our certainty that no one, including the president, likes fly-overs on the white house, we started a turn to the south. We were on a south heading 1-2 mi west of dca when we finally were able to contact approach control on 119.85. They turned us west and vectored us for the mount vernon approach and an uneventful finish. I (the first officer) dialed 118.85 instead of 119.85. I failed to recognize the error. I also erred in anticipating the controller who responded, to be the correct controller and failed to recognize he was not. I discussed this with the captain. We agreed that, no matter the workload, we should both be more watchful and take great care when changing communication frequencys. This could have been something really bad in other circumstances. When flying you are only as good as the moment.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ASTRA JET CREW WAS GIVEN POOR HANDLING BY DCA TRACON.

Narrative: DEPARTED IAD RADAR VECTORS TO DCA, ASSIGNED ALT 3000 FT MSL. ALL WENT WELL -- ALL CHKLISTS COMPLETED -- UNTIL APCH CTLR HANDED US OFF TO FINAL CTLR. NEW CTLR DIDN'T KNOW WHO WE WERE, HAD US CHANGE XPONDER CODE, COULDN'T LOCATE US. WE WERE HEADED DIRECTLY TO DCA AT 3000 FT AND AT 5.7 MI I TOLD HIM OUR LOCATION, DEST AND ALT. HE IMMEDIATELY HANDED US OFF TO THE FINAL CTLR ON 119.85. CONSIDERING HIS QUICK HDOF AND OUR CERTAINTY THAT NO ONE, INCLUDING THE PRESIDENT, LIKES FLY-OVERS ON THE WHITE HOUSE, WE STARTED A TURN TO THE S. WE WERE ON A S HDG 1-2 MI W OF DCA WHEN WE FINALLY WERE ABLE TO CONTACT APCH CTL ON 119.85. THEY TURNED US W AND VECTORED US FOR THE MOUNT VERNON APCH AND AN UNEVENTFUL FINISH. I (THE FO) DIALED 118.85 INSTEAD OF 119.85. I FAILED TO RECOGNIZE THE ERROR. I ALSO ERRED IN ANTICIPATING THE CTLR WHO RESPONDED, TO BE THE CORRECT CTLR AND FAILED TO RECOGNIZE HE WAS NOT. I DISCUSSED THIS WITH THE CAPT. WE AGREED THAT, NO MATTER THE WORKLOAD, WE SHOULD BOTH BE MORE WATCHFUL AND TAKE GREAT CARE WHEN CHANGING COM FREQS. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN SOMETHING REALLY BAD IN OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES. WHEN FLYING YOU ARE ONLY AS GOOD AS THE MOMENT.

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.