Crew was issued vectors to provide spacing for traffic ahead in dca class B airspace.

Attributes
ACN	506380
Time
Date	200103
Day	Thu
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca.airport
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1600 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : phl.tower
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	506380
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other anomaly other
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : separated traffic other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

I was the first officer on a flight to dca. The aircraft was on a base leg for the ILS runway 1 at dca. ATC asked our flight to slow from 210 KTS to 170 KTS. Our flight was apparently closing in on the flight in front of us. ATC asked our flight what our airspeed was. Our crew responded 'slowing!' our flight was then asked to break off the approach and given vectors off the approach to increase the distance between our flight and the one in front of us. The captain then asked ATC what the plan was for us. ATC then said 'I cleared you to 1600 ft' to rejoin -- which ATC did not do. We were then vectored around for another approach and landing without incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CREW WAS ISSUED VECTORS TO PROVIDE SPACING FOR TFC AHEAD IN DCA CLASS B AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I WAS THE FO ON A FLT TO DCA. THE ACFT WAS ON A BASE LEG FOR THE ILS RWY 1 AT DCA. ATC ASKED OUR FLT TO SLOW FROM 210 KTS TO 170 KTS. OUR FLT WAS APPARENTLY CLOSING IN ON THE FLT IN FRONT OF US. ATC ASKED OUR FLT WHAT OUR AIRSPD WAS. OUR CREW RESPONDED 'SLOWING!' OUR FLT WAS THEN ASKED TO BREAK OFF THE APCH AND GIVEN VECTORS OFF THE APCH TO INCREASE THE DISTANCE BTWN OUR FLT AND THE ONE IN FRONT OF US. THE CAPT THEN ASKED ATC WHAT THE PLAN WAS FOR US. ATC THEN SAID 'I CLRED YOU TO 1600 FT' TO REJOIN -- WHICH ATC DID NOT DO. WE WERE THEN VECTORED AROUND FOR ANOTHER APCH AND LNDG WITHOUT INCIDENT.

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.