Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Workload; Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Unstabilized Approach
General None Reported / Taken
Weather; Human Factors; Procedure
While receiving vectors for final approach to EWR ILS 22L; we requested speed reduction from 250 knots within 5 miles of final approach course at TEB. We were assigned descent to 3;000 feet; slow to 210 knots and heading 160 to join the localizer only. We believe a second assignment to heading 200 degrees to join was blocked and was not heard by us. ATC queried our heading to join and informed us that we had been assigned 200 degrees to join and to now fly 190 knots or greater; but localizer only. No approach clearance. We were unable to get onto the frequency to request lower until after a full dot high of GS. We were finally cleared for approach from well above with a tailwind. The approach was completed within stable approach criteria but we were turned late; slowed late and descended and cleared for approach late. This caused increased difficulty in flying the approach. We both never heard the 200 degree turn to join which was questioned.
B737 pilot reported a congested ATC frequency and receiving late descent; late turn to final approach course; and late clearance to slow airspeed during vectors to ILS at Newark.