Air carrier flight crew asked to slow airspeed in climb, then requested to level off 2000' sooner than assigned. Unable at high rate of climb. Vectored for spacing.

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Attributes
ACN	128991
Time
Date	198911
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ptw
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 15000 msl bound upper : 15700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 3300 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	128991
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Our aircraft was departing phl on flight going to roc. As we climbed through around 12,000' center told us to slow to 280 KIAS, apparently for spacing. At this time I pulled the nose up so as to slow the airplane from 320 KIAS. We were cleared up to 17,000' at the time. Then as we were climbing through 14,800' the controller told us to level at 15,000'. This was impossible. Our airspeed was still bleeding off and we had almost 4000 FPM climb going. The autoplt had been on and altitude hold was engaged at 15,000, however, there was going to be a big overshoot. We advised the controller and he said 'then make an immediate 30 degree turn to the right'. I disengaged the autoplt and made a hard turn to the right and our altitude stabilized at 15,750'. At this time it was unclear whether we were to continue the climb to 17,000' or go down to 15,000'. We asked the controller and he told us initially to go back down 15,000 but when we told him our altitude, he said maintain 16,000. This entire sequence of events took place in about 30 seconds. I don't think the controller knew how fast we were climbing when he told us to stop at 15,000'.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLT CREW ASKED TO SLOW AIRSPEED IN CLIMB, THEN REQUESTED TO LEVEL OFF 2000' SOONER THAN ASSIGNED. UNABLE AT HIGH RATE OF CLIMB. VECTORED FOR SPACING.

Narrative: OUR ACFT WAS DEPARTING PHL ON FLT GOING TO ROC. AS WE CLIMBED THROUGH AROUND 12,000' CENTER TOLD US TO SLOW TO 280 KIAS, APPARENTLY FOR SPACING. AT THIS TIME I PULLED THE NOSE UP SO AS TO SLOW THE AIRPLANE FROM 320 KIAS. WE WERE CLRED UP TO 17,000' AT THE TIME. THEN AS WE WERE CLIMBING THROUGH 14,800' THE CTLR TOLD US TO LEVEL AT 15,000'. THIS WAS IMPOSSIBLE. OUR AIRSPEED WAS STILL BLEEDING OFF AND WE HAD ALMOST 4000 FPM CLIMB GOING. THE AUTOPLT HAD BEEN ON AND ALT HOLD WAS ENGAGED AT 15,000, HOWEVER, THERE WAS GOING TO BE A BIG OVERSHOOT. WE ADVISED THE CTLR AND HE SAID 'THEN MAKE AN IMMEDIATE 30 DEG TURN TO THE RIGHT'. I DISENGAGED THE AUTOPLT AND MADE A HARD TURN TO THE RIGHT AND OUR ALT STABILIZED AT 15,750'. AT THIS TIME IT WAS UNCLEAR WHETHER WE WERE TO CONTINUE THE CLIMB TO 17,000' OR GO DOWN TO 15,000'. WE ASKED THE CTLR AND HE TOLD US INITIALLY TO GO BACK DOWN 15,000 BUT WHEN WE TOLD HIM OUR ALT, HE SAID MAINTAIN 16,000. THIS ENTIRE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS TOOK PLACE IN ABOUT 30 SECONDS. I DON'T THINK THE CTLR KNEW HOW FAST WE WERE CLIMBING WHEN HE TOLD US TO STOP AT 15,000'.

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.