LJ60 on a flight into aus was unable to contact controller at ZHU until over the airport at 14000 ft...

Attributes
ACN	595788
Time
Date	200310
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : aus.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 15000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhu.artcc
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Learjet 60
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 2200
ASRS Report	595788
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Airspace Structure
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

Problem: ATC controller was too busy to control all aircraft. Factors: repeated requests were made to ATC for descent into our destination airport. After many calls to ATC, we were asked to report lower crossing traffic in sight. When the lower traffic was sighted, we made numerous attempts to make this report to ATC without response. Finally, ATC cleared us to a lower altitude, however, this was after we crossed our destination airport at 14000 ft! Communications continued to be very difficult as we descended into our destination airport. Observation: I believe the controller was saturated with air traffic and many radio xmissions being 'blocked' as numerous aircraft were attempting to communicate with ATC. Suggestion: ATC should refuse to accept additional aircraft into their sector whenever they become saturated, or, have additional ATC controllers available to handle heavy workloads.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LJ60 ON A FLT INTO AUS WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT CTLR AT ZHU UNTIL OVER THE ARPT AT 14000 FT.

Narrative: PROB: ATC CTLR WAS TOO BUSY TO CTL ALL ACFT. FACTORS: REPEATED REQUESTS WERE MADE TO ATC FOR DSCNT INTO OUR DEST ARPT. AFTER MANY CALLS TO ATC, WE WERE ASKED TO RPT LOWER XING TFC IN SIGHT. WHEN THE LOWER TFC WAS SIGHTED, WE MADE NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS TO MAKE THIS RPT TO ATC WITHOUT RESPONSE. FINALLY, ATC CLRED US TO A LOWER ALT, HOWEVER, THIS WAS AFTER WE CROSSED OUR DEST ARPT AT 14000 FT! COMS CONTINUED TO BE VERY DIFFICULT AS WE DSNDED INTO OUR DEST ARPT. OBSERVATION: I BELIEVE THE CTLR WAS SATURATED WITH AIR TFC AND MANY RADIO XMISSIONS BEING 'BLOCKED' AS NUMEROUS ACFT WERE ATTEMPTING TO COMMUNICATE WITH ATC. SUGGESTION: ATC SHOULD REFUSE TO ACCEPT ADDITIONAL ACFT INTO THEIR SECTOR WHENEVER THEY BECOME SATURATED, OR, HAVE ADDITIONAL ATC CTLRS AVAILABLE TO HANDLE HVY WORKLOADS.

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.