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Controller questions reporter about airspeed restriction in the TCA.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 137488 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199002 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : den |
| State Reference | CO |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 11000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : den tracon : dfw |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | climbout : initial |
| Route In Use | departure other enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 2500 |
| ASRS Report | 137488 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 1500 |
| ASRS Report | 136856 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
We departed den to the north, heading 350 degrees, and climbed out rather briskly due to strong headwinds. Approximately 10 mi north, the departure controller gave us a left turn to a heading of 160 degrees. Because of our brisk climb, we reached our assigned altitude of 11000' about the time we reached the 160 degree heading. Since we were out of 10000', the captain, who was flying, began accelerating past 250 KTS. As we passed over the top of the airport, the departure controller called and asked if we knew that the airspeed in a TCA was 250 KTS. The captain and I looked at one another and both said we never heard of such a thing. I then replied to the controller that we did not know of the airspeed restriction. He then cleared us to climb to higher altitude. Having spent considerable time in research since this event occurred, I have concluded that we were once again sucked into a trap. First of all, I believe den is the only TCA higher than 10000'. With all other TCAS, a 250 KT speed restriction is redundant. Second, after searching my manual and my company's flight manual (which contains the pertinent information from the far's), I was unable to find mention of an airspeed restriction in a TCA. Therefore, this restriction must be published in a manual I would not normally use. So for all the pilots out there, don't forget there is one small cylinder of airspace over denver where you may not exceed 250 KTS above 10000'.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: CTLR QUESTIONS REPORTER ABOUT AIRSPEED RESTRICTION IN THE TCA.
Narrative: WE DEPARTED DEN TO THE N, HDG 350 DEGS, AND CLBED OUT RATHER BRISKLY DUE TO STRONG HEADWINDS. APPROX 10 MI N, THE DEP CTLR GAVE US A L TURN TO A HDG OF 160 DEGS. BECAUSE OF OUR BRISK CLB, WE REACHED OUR ASSIGNED ALT OF 11000' ABOUT THE TIME WE REACHED THE 160 DEG HDG. SINCE WE WERE OUT OF 10000', THE CAPT, WHO WAS FLYING, BEGAN ACCELERATING PAST 250 KTS. AS WE PASSED OVER THE TOP OF THE ARPT, THE DEP CTLR CALLED AND ASKED IF WE KNEW THAT THE AIRSPD IN A TCA WAS 250 KTS. THE CAPT AND I LOOKED AT ONE ANOTHER AND BOTH SAID WE NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A THING. I THEN REPLIED TO THE CTLR THAT WE DID NOT KNOW OF THE AIRSPD RESTRICTION. HE THEN CLRED US TO CLB TO HIGHER ALT. HAVING SPENT CONSIDERABLE TIME IN RESEARCH SINCE THIS EVENT OCCURRED, I HAVE CONCLUDED THAT WE WERE ONCE AGAIN SUCKED INTO A TRAP. FIRST OF ALL, I BELIEVE DEN IS THE ONLY TCA HIGHER THAN 10000'. WITH ALL OTHER TCAS, A 250 KT SPD RESTRICTION IS REDUNDANT. SECOND, AFTER SEARCHING MY MANUAL AND MY COMPANY'S FLT MANUAL (WHICH CONTAINS THE PERTINENT INFO FROM THE FAR'S), I WAS UNABLE TO FIND MENTION OF AN AIRSPD RESTRICTION IN A TCA. THEREFORE, THIS RESTRICTION MUST BE PUBLISHED IN A MANUAL I WOULD NOT NORMALLY USE. SO FOR ALL THE PLTS OUT THERE, DON'T FORGET THERE IS ONE SMALL CYLINDER OF AIRSPACE OVER DENVER WHERE YOU MAY NOT EXCEED 250 KTS ABOVE 10000'.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.