Narrative:

I was the PF and we had 2 federal air marshals on board. Takeoff, climb, cruise and initial descent were all normal. First officer and I began discussing the river visual approach into dca. We were checking to see if the approach was in the database of the computer when we received a frequency change. I did hear the new frequency of 119.85 but not the controling agency. First officer and I discussed this fact and he checked the frequency and found it did not appear as a washington approach frequency. He then checked in on the new frequency. This is how I recalled it happened. Aircraft X dulles approach aircraft X descending to 8000 ft. Nothing heard for 5 seconds. Washington approach, 'aircraft X, turn left heading 010 degrees.' aircraft X, 'oh...washington approach, aircraft X descending to 8000 ft, information codeword. We were then instructed to lnd iad. The approach and landing were uneventful. We were instructed to proceed to runway 30 runup pad and met with iad operations. I confirmed along with the air marshals that security was normal and we were released. We received a new flight plan to dca. After leveling off, dulles departure told us to contact washington on frequency xxxxx. We made 3 calls to departure before they confirmed it was washington approach. We landed uneventfully.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 CREW WAS DIRECTED TO DIVERT TO IAD FROM DCA FOR NO APPARENT REASON.

Narrative: I WAS THE PF AND WE HAD 2 FEDERAL AIR MARSHALS ON BOARD. TKOF, CLB, CRUISE AND INITIAL DSCNT WERE ALL NORMAL. FO AND I BEGAN DISCUSSING THE RIVER VISUAL APCH INTO DCA. WE WERE CHKING TO SEE IF THE APCH WAS IN THE DATABASE OF THE COMPUTER WHEN WE RECEIVED A FREQ CHANGE. I DID HEAR THE NEW FREQ OF 119.85 BUT NOT THE CTLING AGENCY. FO AND I DISCUSSED THIS FACT AND HE CHKED THE FREQ AND FOUND IT DID NOT APPEAR AS A WASHINGTON APCH FREQ. HE THEN CHKED IN ON THE NEW FREQ. THIS IS HOW I RECALLED IT HAPPENED. ACFT X DULLES APCH ACFT X DSNDING TO 8000 FT. NOTHING HEARD FOR 5 SECONDS. WASHINGTON APCH, 'ACFT X, TURN L HDG 010 DEGS.' ACFT X, 'OH...WASHINGTON APCH, ACFT X DSNDING TO 8000 FT, INFO CODEWORD. WE WERE THEN INSTRUCTED TO LND IAD. THE APCH AND LNDG WERE UNEVENTFUL. WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO PROCEED TO RWY 30 RUNUP PAD AND MET WITH IAD OPS. I CONFIRMED ALONG WITH THE AIR MARSHALS THAT SECURITY WAS NORMAL AND WE WERE RELEASED. WE RECEIVED A NEW FLT PLAN TO DCA. AFTER LEVELING OFF, DULLES DEP TOLD US TO CONTACT WASHINGTON ON FREQ XXXXX. WE MADE 3 CALLS TO DEP BEFORE THEY CONFIRMED IT WAS WASHINGTON APCH. WE LANDED UNEVENTFULLY.

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.