Heading deviation, communication problem.

Attributes
ACN	98834
Time
Date	198811
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cri
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 4 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 15000
ASRS Report	98034
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 18000
ASRS Report	98590
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were on vectors to carnarsie approach, level flight, maintaining 3000', flaps up, gear up, IAS about 220 KTS. Controller gave turn. We turned/acknowledged. Then someone's stuck microphone resulted in controller being unable to contact us (he later said that he had not given us the heading we turned to). Controller called us 3 times. We answered 3 times, but he could not hear us. Controller assigned different frequency in the blind. We changed to new frequency and controller gave us new heading and altitude. Rest of flight (approach) was normal. While submitting this report, I would like to observe that: jfk approach control is excellent, but at times the frequency is saturated with communications. At times it is ridiculous--there is not time to respond in a normal manner if it's obvious that the controller is overworked, harried and sometimes ill tempered as a result of being pushed beyond reasonable limits. Supplemental information from acn 98590: on the new frequency he commanded us to turn to 300 degrees, and then in the next breath on second thought, now a right turn to 180 degrees to avoid departure traffic. Then in a very sarcastic voice he said that when we had a minute, 'maybe you can explain to me what you were trying to do.' it sounded to me that the controller was working 2 frequencys at times. He certainly sounded rushed and at times overworked.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HEADING DEVIATION, COM PROBLEM.

Narrative: WE WERE ON VECTORS TO CARNARSIE APCH, LEVEL FLT, MAINTAINING 3000', FLAPS UP, GEAR UP, IAS ABOUT 220 KTS. CTLR GAVE TURN. WE TURNED/ACKNOWLEDGED. THEN SOMEONE'S STUCK MIC RESULTED IN CTLR BEING UNABLE TO CONTACT US (HE LATER SAID THAT HE HAD NOT GIVEN US THE HDG WE TURNED TO). CTLR CALLED US 3 TIMES. WE ANSWERED 3 TIMES, BUT HE COULD NOT HEAR US. CTLR ASSIGNED DIFFERENT FREQ IN THE BLIND. WE CHANGED TO NEW FREQ AND CTLR GAVE US NEW HDG AND ALT. REST OF FLT (APCH) WAS NORMAL. WHILE SUBMITTING THIS RPT, I WOULD LIKE TO OBSERVE THAT: JFK APCH CTL IS EXCELLENT, BUT AT TIMES THE FREQ IS SATURATED WITH COMS. AT TIMES IT IS RIDICULOUS--THERE IS NOT TIME TO RESPOND IN A NORMAL MANNER IF IT'S OBVIOUS THAT THE CTLR IS OVERWORKED, HARRIED AND SOMETIMES ILL TEMPERED AS A RESULT OF BEING PUSHED BEYOND REASONABLE LIMITS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 98590: ON THE NEW FREQ HE COMMANDED US TO TURN TO 300 DEGS, AND THEN IN THE NEXT BREATH ON SECOND THOUGHT, NOW A RIGHT TURN TO 180 DEGS TO AVOID DEP TFC. THEN IN A VERY SARCASTIC VOICE HE SAID THAT WHEN WE HAD A MINUTE, 'MAYBE YOU CAN EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT YOU WERE TRYING TO DO.' IT SOUNDED TO ME THAT THE CTLR WAS WORKING 2 FREQS AT TIMES. HE CERTAINLY SOUNDED RUSHED AND AT TIMES OVERWORKED.

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.