A B757-200 flight crew experienced a momentary overspeed when asked to expedite their descent by ATC. The newly installed flat panel display system is cited by on Captain as contributing to the event due to its cluttered display of vital performance information.
Synopsis
A B757-200 flight crew experienced a momentary overspeed when asked to expedite their descent by ATC. The newly installed flat panel display system is cited by on Captain as contributing to the event due to its cluttered display of vital performance information.
Narrative
In the descent; we were cleared to 13;000 FT. Around FL230; Center asked us to expedite descent through FL180. We were either in FLCH or VNAV with speed intervention. The First Officer; as pilot flying; pulled power to idle and increased the selected speed in the airspeed window. He later added power to reduce the descent rate.The resulting speed increase was much faster than my reaction time. I called 'speed' twice; but it was too late. We experienced about a 5 KT over-speed for about 3 seconds. In retrospect; I should have pulled the speed brake handle full aft; but even that may not have prevented the over-speed in this case.While; as the Captain; I take full responsibility for this event; I feel a major contributing factor is the flat panel display system [(FPDS)]. Its compact and cluttered display of critical information seriously hampers recognition and response. Our older flight instrument system is a safer; more pilot friendly display with a stand-alone ADI sitting higher up on the forward instrument panel and not cluttered with airspeed and altitude data; along with larger; easy to read airspeed and vertical velocity indicators. Under less than optimum conditions; the FPDS is counter-productive to safe and effective flight operations.
Second reporter narrative
The Captain called out 'speed' which I did not process and react to immediately. He called out 'speed' again as we were at red line and I returned the throttles to idle as I realized I was over-speeding the aircraft. [I] disengaged the autopilot and eased the nose up to slow back below redline speed.
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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.