Narrative:

Washington center on frequency 132.05 at XA05 EDT. Our flight checked in as instructed by phl departure. Washington was weak and difficult to hear. We thought he assigned our flight to climb from 16000 ft to 17000 ft, but we where not sure. Over the next 6 to 8 mins, washington 132.05 refused to respond to our request for clarification of altitude assignment, but would only respond by saying 'standby.' he even told phl departure that he was hearing all of their calls. When he switched us from 132.05 to 132.55, the new washington center controller thought we were at fl 260, but washington center 132.05 had not even been willing to confirm his first instruction in which we thought he said 'climb to 17000 ft,' but we were not sure. Washington 132.05 was more than just negligent.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 CAPT CONCERNED WITH LACK OF RESPONSE BY ZDC WHEN TOLD NUMEROUS TIMES TO 'STANDBY' WHEN TRYING TO CONFIRM A CHANGE IN ALT ASSIGNMENT.

Narrative: WASHINGTON CENTER ON FREQ 132.05 AT XA05 EDT. OUR FLT CHKED IN AS INSTRUCTED BY PHL DEP. WASHINGTON WAS WEAK AND DIFFICULT TO HEAR. WE THOUGHT HE ASSIGNED OUR FLT TO CLIMB FROM 16000 FT TO 17000 FT, BUT WE WHERE NOT SURE. OVER THE NEXT 6 TO 8 MINS, WASHINGTON 132.05 REFUSED TO RESPOND TO OUR REQUEST FOR CLARIFICATION OF ALTITUDE ASSIGNMENT, BUT WOULD ONLY RESPOND BY SAYING 'STANDBY.' HE EVEN TOLD PHL DEP THAT HE WAS HEARING ALL OF THEIR CALLS. WHEN HE SWITCHED US FROM 132.05 TO 132.55, THE NEW WASHINGTON CTR CTLR THOUGHT WE WERE AT FL 260, BUT WASHINGTON CTR 132.05 HAD NOT EVEN BEEN WILLING TO CONFIRM HIS FIRST INSTRUCTION IN WHICH WE THOUGHT HE SAID 'CLIMB TO 17000 FT,' BUT WE WERE NOT SURE. WASHINGTON 132.05 WAS MORE THAN JUST NEGLIGENT.

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.