B737 crew inbound for dca are cleared for an lda runway 19 approach. When unable to pick up course s...

Attributes
ACN	579825
Time
Date	200304
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca.airport
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pct.tracon tower : dca.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-700
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer only : 19 other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument non precision arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
ASRS Report	579825
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

On the published arrival into dca runway 19, approach control advised us to expect a visual to runway 19. On the descent, we were stable and configured early as we expected to be high on the approach, which is normal. In this case though, our vectors were further out than normal so our approach would be normal. As we got closer to the lda course, approach control advised us that we were cleared for the lda runway 19 approach. This was the approach that we had anticipated. At this time we were just becoming visual on our descent. The captain tried to identify the lda, but it wouldn't identify and, when we saw we were going to go through the course, I disconnected the autoplt and maneuvered the aircraft back to the lda course which still wasn't active. At this point we had the field in sight and were on profile. The captain asked approach control about the lda and was informed for the first time that we were now cleared for the rosslyn lda which is a different approach and lda frequency. We were visual and set the new frequency and were switched to the tower. At this point at about 4 mi out, the tower asked why we were on the lda course and said we were cleared for the published visual approach to runway 19. Wow, talk about a lot of confusion on the part of ATC/tower/us. We proceeded to join the river visual and had an uneventful landing. After landing, we discussed what had transpired and came to the conclusion that ATC had probably thought they had cleared us for the rosslyn lda, when what they said was just cleared for the lda, which is a different approach. Also, approach control failed to inform the tower that we were on the lda approach and not a visual. Also, on the flight deck was an FAA inspector, who said we did a great job and that the approach controller was probably getting reprimanded as we spoke. This situation could have been avoided if we had just been given the visual like we were advised. That said, there was definitely a communication breakdown which I am sure we all learned something from.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CREW INBOUND FOR DCA ARE CLRED FOR AN LDA RWY 19 APCH. WHEN UNABLE TO PICK UP COURSE SIGNAL THEY ARE ADVISED THEY WERE CLRED ON THE ROSSLYN LDA.

Narrative: ON THE PUBLISHED ARR INTO DCA RWY 19, APCH CTL ADVISED US TO EXPECT A VISUAL TO RWY 19. ON THE DSCNT, WE WERE STABLE AND CONFIGURED EARLY AS WE EXPECTED TO BE HIGH ON THE APCH, WHICH IS NORMAL. IN THIS CASE THOUGH, OUR VECTORS WERE FURTHER OUT THAN NORMAL SO OUR APCH WOULD BE NORMAL. AS WE GOT CLOSER TO THE LDA COURSE, APCH CTL ADVISED US THAT WE WERE CLRED FOR THE LDA RWY 19 APCH. THIS WAS THE APCH THAT WE HAD ANTICIPATED. AT THIS TIME WE WERE JUST BECOMING VISUAL ON OUR DSCNT. THE CAPT TRIED TO IDENT THE LDA, BUT IT WOULDN'T IDENT AND, WHEN WE SAW WE WERE GOING TO GO THROUGH THE COURSE, I DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND MANEUVERED THE ACFT BACK TO THE LDA COURSE WHICH STILL WASN'T ACTIVE. AT THIS POINT WE HAD THE FIELD IN SIGHT AND WERE ON PROFILE. THE CAPT ASKED APCH CTL ABOUT THE LDA AND WAS INFORMED FOR THE FIRST TIME THAT WE WERE NOW CLRED FOR THE ROSSLYN LDA WHICH IS A DIFFERENT APCH AND LDA FREQ. WE WERE VISUAL AND SET THE NEW FREQ AND WERE SWITCHED TO THE TWR. AT THIS POINT AT ABOUT 4 MI OUT, THE TWR ASKED WHY WE WERE ON THE LDA COURSE AND SAID WE WERE CLRED FOR THE PUBLISHED VISUAL APCH TO RWY 19. WOW, TALK ABOUT A LOT OF CONFUSION ON THE PART OF ATC/TWR/US. WE PROCEEDED TO JOIN THE RIVER VISUAL AND HAD AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG. AFTER LNDG, WE DISCUSSED WHAT HAD TRANSPIRED AND CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT ATC HAD PROBABLY THOUGHT THEY HAD CLRED US FOR THE ROSSLYN LDA, WHEN WHAT THEY SAID WAS JUST CLRED FOR THE LDA, WHICH IS A DIFFERENT APCH. ALSO, APCH CTL FAILED TO INFORM THE TWR THAT WE WERE ON THE LDA APCH AND NOT A VISUAL. ALSO, ON THE FLT DECK WAS AN FAA INSPECTOR, WHO SAID WE DID A GREAT JOB AND THAT THE APCH CTLR WAS PROBABLY GETTING REPRIMANDED AS WE SPOKE. THIS SIT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF WE HAD JUST BEEN GIVEN THE VISUAL LIKE WE WERE ADVISED. THAT SAID, THERE WAS DEFINITELY A COM BREAKDOWN WHICH I AM SURE WE ALL LEARNED SOMETHING FROM.

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.

B737 crew inbound for dca are cleared for an lda runway 19 approach. When unable to pick up course signal they are advised they were cleared on the rosslyn lda.