ACR X NON ADHERENCE TO ATC CLRNC UNAUTH SPD REDUCTION.
Synopsis
ACR X NON ADHERENCE TO ATC CLRNC UNAUTH SPD REDUCTION.
Narrative
ACR X CLRED TO DSND TO 10000 FT; EXPECT TO CROSS PEPPR AT 9000 FT AND MAINTAIN 310 KTS OR GREATER WHEN ABLE. THE CAPT SLOWED TO 250 KTS ABOUT 16.8 MI S OF PEPPR. AT 5-6 MI S A NEW CTLR (SOUNDED LIKE A SUPVR) CUT IN AND ASKED IF WE HAD SLOWED. I KNEW WHAT THE PROB WAS; AND TRIED TO COVER FOR IT BY ANSWERING 'YES; WE'VE Slowed IN ANTICIPATION OF XING PEPPR AT 9000 FT.' HE REMINDED US; TERSELY; OF OUR 310 KT SPD ASSIGNMENT AND THEN WE WERE HANDED OFF TO APCH. AFTER LNDG; GND GAVE US A PHONE NUMBER TO CALL CTR ON. THE CAPT CALLED (I ASSUME) AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT WAS SAID. I CONSIDERED POINTING OUT THAT WE HAD BEEN ASSIGNED 310 KTS WHEN WE FIRST SLOWED; BUT DECIDED NOT TO FOR A COUPLE REASONS. 1) I HAVE OBSERVED A LOT OF NONSTANDARD AND INCONSISTENT COMPLIANCE WITH NOT ONLY CLRNCS; BUT ALSO OUR SOPA; SMAC PROCS WITH THIS PARTICULAR CAPT. I'M NOT SURE WHY OR HOW HIS THOUGHT PROCESSES ARE WORKING. HE GETS ANGRY DEFENSIVE AND PARANOID WHEN I POINT OUT OR 'FIX' ALL OF THE ERRORS MAKES -- AND I DO TRY TO BE DIPLOMATIC! I'VE OPTED TO ONLY POINT OUT ERRORS I THINK WILL BE CRITICAL -- 'KILLER ITEMS' IF YOU WILL. THIS WEAKENS THE CREW CONCEPT AND SAFETY IS AFFECTED; BUT I'M NOT SURE WHAT ELSE I COULD DO. 2) THE TRIP WAS ALMOST OVER. I WAS TIRED -- BOTH PHYSICALLY AND ALSO TIRED OF BABYSITTING THIS CAPT; AND I JUST DIDN'T WANT THE HASSLE OF EXPLAINING TO HIM THAT A CLRNC TO MAINTAIN 310 KTS MEANS DO THAT UNTIL YOU'RE ISSUED SOMETHING DIFFERENT. I KNOW -- LAZY AND UNPROFESSIONAL. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATED THE A320 WILL REDUCE SPD IN 2 MODES. VERTICAL DSCNT AND VNAV. THIS WAS NOT THE CASE. THE CAPT VIOLATED ATC INSTRUCTION BY REDUCING SPD WITH THE SPD SELECT INDICATOR. RPTR STATED SHE WAS FRUSTRATED WITH HAVING TO CORRECT THE CAPT FOR MISTAKES AND WOULD ONLY INTERVENE IN A CRITICAL SIT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FROM ACN 266614: ACFT WAS AN A320 ON 'MEINZ6 STAR' ARRIVING MSP. ACFT WAS ASSIGNED 100 MSL AND 300 KTS OR GREATER (FOR SPACING INTO MSP). APPARENTLY; AIRBUS ACFT; UNLESS 'OVERRIDEN;' REDUCE SPD TO 250 KTS AT 100 MSL 'ON THEIR OWN.' AS WAS THE CASE TODAY; IF THE PLT 'FORGETS' TO OVERRIDE THE AUTOMATED FLT CTLS TO MAINTAIN AN ASSIGNED AIRSPD; IT CREATES OBVIOUS PROBS FOR THE CTR CTLR TRYING TO MAINTAIN SPACING FOR APCH. THIS HAS BEEN A RECURRENT PROB AT ZMP. CORRECTION LIES IN EDUCATION OF PLTS AND/OR PROCS/CHKLIST CHANGES FOR A320'S.
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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.