Narrative:

Inbound to dca, wash approach advised depart aml 070 degrees heading. After aml cleared to 4000', left turn to 030 degree 'vector for inbound traffic 6 mi east of cabin john.' next command, right turn 140 degrees. The next heading, I believe, was right to 230 degrees, at least a southwest heading, descend to 3000'. We had still not leveled at 4000' and descending through 4400' I saw large transport air carrier Y pass left to right in front of us (about a 70 degree cross at approximately 3000' and at about 3/4 mi). I called this to approach controller and we were told to level 4000'. We were never advised of another aircraft in the area. I immediately questioned the controller and was advised the aircraft was under the control of another controller. I called on the ground and talked to RAPCON supervisor. He informed me of the following. 1) aircraft under separate controllers were being vectored to cabin john bridge to commence a river visual approach runway 18. 2) air carrier Y failed to make the turn on to the river. 3) my controller was not aware of the impending conflict. 4) there was no problem since we leveled off at 4000'. 5) this procedure has worked for yrs and is 'the best that is available.' opinion: this type of incident at wash national is created by an overzealous desire for noise abatement and desire for maximum frequency of operations. A whole lot of people will eventually get killed if these policies remain in effect.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POTENTIAL CONFLTIC BETWEEN 2 ACR ACFT.

Narrative: INBND TO DCA, WASH APCH ADVISED DEPART AML 070 DEGS HDG. AFTER AML CLRED TO 4000', LEFT TURN TO 030 DEG 'VECTOR FOR INBND TFC 6 MI E OF CABIN JOHN.' NEXT COMMAND, RIGHT TURN 140 DEGS. THE NEXT HDG, I BELIEVE, WAS RIGHT TO 230 DEGS, AT LEAST A SW HDG, DSND TO 3000'. WE HAD STILL NOT LEVELED AT 4000' AND DSNDING THROUGH 4400' I SAW LGT ACR Y PASS LEFT TO RIGHT IN FRONT OF US (ABOUT A 70 DEG CROSS AT APPROX 3000' AND AT ABOUT 3/4 MI). I CALLED THIS TO APCH CTLR AND WE WERE TOLD TO LEVEL 4000'. WE WERE NEVER ADVISED OF ANOTHER ACFT IN THE AREA. I IMMEDIATELY QUESTIONED THE CTLR AND WAS ADVISED THE ACFT WAS UNDER THE CTL OF ANOTHER CTLR. I CALLED ON THE GND AND TALKED TO RAPCON SUPVR. HE INFORMED ME OF THE FOLLOWING. 1) ACFT UNDER SEPARATE CTLRS WERE BEING VECTORED TO CABIN JOHN BRIDGE TO COMMENCE A RIVER VISUAL APCH RWY 18. 2) ACR Y FAILED TO MAKE THE TURN ON TO THE RIVER. 3) MY CTLR WAS NOT AWARE OF THE IMPENDING CONFLICT. 4) THERE WAS NO PROB SINCE WE LEVELED OFF AT 4000'. 5) THIS PROC HAS WORKED FOR YRS AND IS 'THE BEST THAT IS AVAILABLE.' OPINION: THIS TYPE OF INCIDENT AT WASH NATL IS CREATED BY AN OVERZEALOUS DESIRE FOR NOISE ABATEMENT AND DESIRE FOR MAX FREQ OF OPS. A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE WILL EVENTUALLY GET KILLED IF THESE POLICIES REMAIN IN EFFECT.

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