Date: 201412
Local time of day: 0601-1200
Location: ZMA.ARTCC, FL
Flight conditions: IMC
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: Medium Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Operator: Fractional
Operating under: Part 135
Flight plan: IFR
Flight phase: Descent
Airspace: Class A ZMA
ATC / advisory: Center ZMA; TRACON PBI
Reporter organization: Fractional
Reporter function: Captain; Pilot Not Flying
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human factors: Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Distraction; Situational Awareness; Workload
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types; Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Contributing factors: Human Factors; Procedure
Primary problem: Human Factors

Narrative: We departed for PBI after a one hour ground delay due to an EDCT because of traffic saturation in the south Florida area.  The incident occurred during descent into the PBI area while on the Freeway 5 Arrival.  We were on Miami Center frequency when given a descent to FL240 and we complied.  This controller then handed us off to the next Miami Center controller and also the final Center controller on the FRWAY5 (STAR).  This controller was completely task saturated and overwhelmed by the number aircraft on the frequency.  We tried numerous times to check in and when communications were finally established we asked for a lower altitude because we were approaching the CHADO intersection which has an expected crossing altitude of 10;000 feet.  I continually asked for lower with no avail until we reached our clearance limit of PBI.  I announced we were at our clearance limit and this controller turned us back to previous frequency.  We were clearly lost in the volume of traffic this controller was handling. I checked back in with previous frequency and that controller told us to turn right to TRV VOR and hold as published until he could work us back into the line to PBI. I then informed the controller that our fuel situation was approaching critical and no delay to PBI was needed.  The controller then worked it out to get us to PBI with no delay and began to descend us in.  The controller on this frequency then handed us back off to the saturated controller where again he/she did not have an idea of our destination until we informed him/her that we were going to PBI.  He/She gave us a descent instruction and handed us off to PBI approach.  PBI approach thought we were a diversion or emergency aircraft but I informed him that the center kept us high.  Approach then gave us a vector and told us we were going to end of the line and that is when myself and my SIC decided that our fuel situation would preclude this and declared minimum fuel.  We were then vectored in for the ILS 10L and landed without incident or questioning. The one controller was completely task saturated and no other aircraft should have been sent into that sector until he/she was able to safely and effectively handle them.  We established communications but the crowding of the frequency and high volume of airplanes caused this controller to lose track.  He/She sent us to the previous controller who was tasked with handling us and he was saturated adding to his workload.  At the very least there should have been holding or an extension of the ground delay program. As for myself I could have been more proactive by calling Center frequency on COMM 2 and alerting him that the controller on previous frequency was not responding.  I did not do this because I had established communications with Center frequency.  This situation really comes down to an area of overcrowded airspace and the need for a better plan during times of such volume.




Synopsis: Pilot reports of being handed off to a Controller that was task saturated and overwhelmed by the number of aircraft they had. Pilot was returned to previous frequency; then shipped to task saturated Controller a little later. Pilot had to declare minimum fuel to get into the arrival sequence.