Narrative:

Approximately 15-20 mi northeast of karla intersection on byp 5 arrival to dfw; VFR WX; descending to 11000 ft with speed brake out and approximately 2500 FPM descent. Passing 14200 ft; we were asked by ZFW (124.87) at the last second to level at 14000 ft. We were unable to comply and stopped descent at 13500 ft; and then climbed back to 14000 ft. We told ATC and they very much apologized for the last second request and said we had VFR traffic north of us at 14500 ft as the reason for the request. We saw no traffic visually nor on TCASII; most probably past us by this point. This controller was extremely busy; talkative; and seemed very stressed; definitely handling too much traffic. Also; there were other aircraft with similar call signs including a company aircraft and a few other similar call signs on frequency. This ftw controller sounded as if he could not talk fast enough; resulting in aircraft missing/repeating calls. I write this report not mainly because we were unable to comply with an impossible request by ATC short of pulling G's; but because these last min clrncs/requests are occurring more often; creating a less safe ATC environment. Maybe the ATC environment can't handle the increase of aircraft; ie; 10 rjets or smaller versus 1 B737/757. Maybe ATC controllers are overworked and undermanned and losing too many senior people. Whatever the problems; these issues need to be addressed. Or will it take a serious midair/loss of life before someone takes this seriously? Pass this report on to ATC and the FAA!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 CAPT EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING ZFW CTLR'S PERFORMANCE WITH REGARD TO WORKLOAD AND STAFFING.

Narrative: APPROX 15-20 MI NE OF KARLA INTXN ON BYP 5 ARR TO DFW; VFR WX; DSNDING TO 11000 FT WITH SPD BRAKE OUT AND APPROX 2500 FPM DSCNT. PASSING 14200 FT; WE WERE ASKED BY ZFW (124.87) AT THE LAST SECOND TO LEVEL AT 14000 FT. WE WERE UNABLE TO COMPLY AND STOPPED DSCNT AT 13500 FT; AND THEN CLBED BACK TO 14000 FT. WE TOLD ATC AND THEY VERY MUCH APOLOGIZED FOR THE LAST SECOND REQUEST AND SAID WE HAD VFR TFC N OF US AT 14500 FT AS THE REASON FOR THE REQUEST. WE SAW NO TFC VISUALLY NOR ON TCASII; MOST PROBABLY PAST US BY THIS POINT. THIS CTLR WAS EXTREMELY BUSY; TALKATIVE; AND SEEMED VERY STRESSED; DEFINITELY HANDLING TOO MUCH TFC. ALSO; THERE WERE OTHER ACFT WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGNS INCLUDING A COMPANY ACFT AND A FEW OTHER SIMILAR CALL SIGNS ON FREQ. THIS FTW CTLR SOUNDED AS IF HE COULD NOT TALK FAST ENOUGH; RESULTING IN ACFT MISSING/REPEATING CALLS. I WRITE THIS RPT NOT MAINLY BECAUSE WE WERE UNABLE TO COMPLY WITH AN IMPOSSIBLE REQUEST BY ATC SHORT OF PULLING G'S; BUT BECAUSE THESE LAST MIN CLRNCS/REQUESTS ARE OCCURRING MORE OFTEN; CREATING A LESS SAFE ATC ENVIRONMENT. MAYBE THE ATC ENVIRONMENT CAN'T HANDLE THE INCREASE OF ACFT; IE; 10 RJETS OR SMALLER VERSUS 1 B737/757. MAYBE ATC CTLRS ARE OVERWORKED AND UNDERMANNED AND LOSING TOO MANY SENIOR PEOPLE. WHATEVER THE PROBS; THESE ISSUES NEED TO BE ADDRESSED. OR WILL IT TAKE A SERIOUS MIDAIR/LOSS OF LIFE BEFORE SOMEONE TAKES THIS SERIOUSLY? PASS THIS RPT ON TO ATC AND THE FAA!

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.