Narrative:

Arriving to dca from stl level 12000 on initial potomac approach frequency. Controller was very busy and in an apparent intimidating mood. Very little break in his radio xmissions. He cleared us to slow to 250 KTS which we did. Nearing aml, we knew we would have to be descending to 8,000 ft to cross aml at 8,000 ft, but controller appeared to have forgotten about us. Instead, he appeared to be overloaded and in an apparent frustration made a radio call telling everyone to, 'make their radio calls shorter.' approximately 7 NM west of aml, while we were still at last assigned altitude of 12000, the controller questioned whether we would be able to make aml at 8,000 ft. The captain was flying and I responded, 'we haven't been cleared to 8,000 ft yet.' the controller became belligerent, cleared us to 8,000 at aml and stated, 'I cleared you to cross aml at 8,000 ft and slow to 250 KTS.' I immediately responded aggressively, 'we are at 250 KTS, you did not clear us to 8,000 ft. Pull the tapes. We're out of 12,000 now for 8,000 ft.' the controller paused for a second and quietly said, 'we'll talk about it later.' we successfully descended to 8,000 ft just prior to aml. That was the end of the event, but I'll add that I believe that potomac approach is one of the weakest control facilities in our system and based on my many conversations with fellow pilots, that belief is shared by many. There have been other un-reported events that indicated I am correct in my belief. There are comments such as, 'all they did was take the worst controls from all three previous facilities and put them in one place at potomac approach.' I have in the past arrival at iad and when switched to potomac approach could not get any response from them on the correct assigned frequency. I had to switch on my own to iad tower to get further clearance. I cannot say what potomac approach facility needs for improvement, but I am certain they do need improvement in handling the arring aircraft into the washington area.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 FLT CREW ARR TO DCA EXPRESSED FRUSTRATION WITH PCT TRACON SERVICE.

Narrative: ARRIVING TO DCA FROM STL LEVEL 12000 ON INITIAL POTOMAC APCH FREQ. CTLR WAS VERY BUSY AND IN AN APPARENT INTIMIDATING MOOD. VERY LITTLE BREAK IN HIS RADIO XMISSIONS. HE CLEARED US TO SLOW TO 250 KTS WHICH WE DID. NEARING AML, WE KNEW WE WOULD HAVE TO BE DSNDING TO 8,000 FT TO CROSS AML AT 8,000 FT, BUT CTLR APPEARED TO HAVE FORGOTTEN ABOUT US. INSTEAD, HE APPEARED TO BE OVERLOADED AND IN AN APPARENT FRUSTRATION MADE A RADIO CALL TELLING EVERYONE TO, 'MAKE THEIR RADIO CALLS SHORTER.' APPROX 7 NM WEST OF AML, WHILE WE WERE STILL AT LAST ASSIGNED ALT OF 12000, THE CTLR QUESTIONED WHETHER WE WOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE AML AT 8,000 FT. THE CAPT WAS FLYING AND I RESPONDED, 'WE HAVEN'T BEEN CLEARED TO 8,000 FT YET.' THE CTLR BECAME BELLIGERENT, CLEARED US TO 8,000 AT AML AND STATED, 'I CLEARED YOU TO CROSS AML AT 8,000 FT AND SLOW TO 250 KTS.' I IMMEDIATELY RESPONDED AGGRESSIVELY, 'WE ARE AT 250 KTS, YOU DID NOT CLEAR US TO 8,000 FT. PULL THE TAPES. WE'RE OUT OF 12,000 NOW FOR 8,000 FT.' THE CTLR PAUSED FOR A SECOND AND QUIETLY SAID, 'WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT LATER.' WE SUCCESSFULLY DSNDED TO 8,000 FT JUST PRIOR TO AML. THAT WAS THE END OF THE EVENT, BUT I'LL ADD THAT I BELIEVE THAT POTOMAC APCH IS ONE OF THE WEAKEST CTL FACILITIES IN OUR SYSTEM AND BASED ON MY MANY CONVERSATIONS WITH FELLOW PLTS, THAT BELIEF IS SHARED BY MANY. THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER UN-RPTED EVENTS THAT INDICATED I AM CORRECT IN MY BELIEF. THERE ARE COMMENTS SUCH AS, 'ALL THEY DID WAS TAKE THE WORST CTLS FROM ALL THREE PREVIOUS FACILITIES AND PUT THEM IN ONE PLACE AT POTOMAC APCH.' I HAVE IN THE PAST ARR AT IAD AND WHEN SWITCHED TO POTOMAC APCH COULD NOT GET ANY RESPONSE FROM THEM ON THE CORRECT ASSIGNED FREQ. I HAD TO SWITCH ON MY OWN TO IAD TWR TO GET FURTHER CLRNC. I CANNOT SAY WHAT POTOMAC APCH FACILITY NEEDS FOR IMPROVEMENT, BUT I AM CERTAIN THEY DO NEED IMPROVEMENT IN HANDLING THE ARRING ACFT INTO THE WASHINGTON AREA.

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.