A B737-800 flight crew complained about their ATC clearance on their approach to dca; claiming the h...

Attributes
ACN	802082
Time
Date	200808
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : hixit
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pct.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-800
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival star : river visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 190 flight time type : 320
ASRS Report	802082
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

We gave ATC ample time to process our request to perform the RNAV (rnp) runway 19 into dca. Conditions were visual; but with lack of familiarity with the runway 19 approach; night conditions and the associated P-56 restr area; the first officer and myself concluded that the above rnp approach would keep us out of trouble. ATC needs to do a refresher on the specifics of this approach. Potomac approach cleared us to cross hixit at 3000 ft MSL and to keep our speed up (170 KTS) to setoc. Both of these ATC requirements botched up the approach. Hixit has a mandatory altitude of 2500 ft MSL; and the speed requirement was not compatible with the FMC's VNAV path profile. The first officer had flown into runway 19 on the river visual approach before; the captain (PF) had not -- but we both had a visual on the airport and thus utilized visual procedures to get to runway 19. Had we been IMC the approach would have been terminated due to ATC's un-stabilizing restrs. Have ATC review the operational requirements; altitudes and speeds on the RNAV (rnp) runway 19 dca.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-800 FLT CREW COMPLAINED ABOUT THEIR ATC CLEARANCE ON THEIR APPROACH TO DCA; CLAIMING THE HIGHER THAN STANDARD CROSSING RESTRICTION AND SPEED MADE THE APPROACH DIFFICULT.

Narrative: WE GAVE ATC AMPLE TIME TO PROCESS OUR REQUEST TO PERFORM THE RNAV (RNP) RWY 19 INTO DCA. CONDITIONS WERE VISUAL; BUT WITH LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE RWY 19 APCH; NIGHT CONDITIONS AND THE ASSOCIATED P-56 RESTR AREA; THE FO AND MYSELF CONCLUDED THAT THE ABOVE RNP APCH WOULD KEEP US OUT OF TROUBLE. ATC NEEDS TO DO A REFRESHER ON THE SPECIFICS OF THIS APCH. POTOMAC APCH CLRED US TO CROSS HIXIT AT 3000 FT MSL AND TO KEEP OUR SPD UP (170 KTS) TO SETOC. BOTH OF THESE ATC REQUIREMENTS BOTCHED UP THE APCH. HIXIT HAS A MANDATORY ALT OF 2500 FT MSL; AND THE SPD REQUIREMENT WAS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH THE FMC'S VNAV PATH PROFILE. THE FO HAD FLOWN INTO RWY 19 ON THE RIVER VISUAL APCH BEFORE; THE CAPT (PF) HAD NOT -- BUT WE BOTH HAD A VISUAL ON THE ARPT AND THUS UTILIZED VISUAL PROCS TO GET TO RWY 19. HAD WE BEEN IMC THE APCH WOULD HAVE BEEN TERMINATED DUE TO ATC'S UN-STABILIZING RESTRS. HAVE ATC REVIEW THE OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS; ALTS AND SPDS ON THE RNAV (RNP) RWY 19 DCA.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.

A B737-800 flight crew complained about their ATC clearance on their approach to dca; claiming the higher than standard crossing restriction and speed made the approach difficult.