Narrative:

We had been cleared by washington center to fly the nanci 4 STAR to klga and maintain 300 KTS or better. We were near the barber pole and thus told ATC that 300 KTS would be our maximum. After switchover to ny center we were cleared to descend and cross somto intersection at 11000 ft. Nearing 12000 ft we heard center talking to an mdt behind us about his airspeed. Then ATC asked us for our airspeed. We told him 250 KTS and he stated (not verbatim); immediately increase to 300 KTS, that we hadn't been cleared to decrease below 300 KTS, that we'd almost been run over, and that he would have to write up this one. We immediately accelerated to 300 KTS and continued to an uneventful approach and landing at klga. The PF had slowed to 250 KTS as he had understood the clearance to be 11000 ft and 250 KTS over somto. As captain but PNF, I was not monitoring airspeed closely at the time. I did not consider 250 KTS to be unusual or slow as we were nearing the new york city area and would be soon descending below 10000 ft. Nor can I confirm there was any airspeed restriction over somto. Washington center had made the 300 KT request and I didn't question if ny ATC had changed or restated a specific airspeed. I do question why the ATC ground equipment and personnel (ATC system) allowed 2 aircraft to get sufficiently close to warrant controller remarks as previously stated. A contributing factor to our slowing to 250 KTS was a conditioned reaction by our operations in the stl and ord areas. In those 2 areas, as at some others, a clearance to 12000 ft is usually accompanied by a 250 KT airspeed restriction. This, of course, is no excuse to change airspeed on all dscnts. We have operated in the northeast corridor before, but this occurrence points out that we must remain ever vigilant and alert at all times and heighten our awareness in high density traffic areas.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CPR LTT SPD DEV CAUSES LTSS WITH ACFT COMING UP FROM BEHIND WHILE ON STAR INTO LGA.

Narrative: WE HAD BEEN CLRED BY WASHINGTON CENTER TO FLY THE NANCI 4 STAR TO KLGA AND MAINTAIN 300 KTS OR BETTER. WE WERE NEAR THE BARBER POLE AND THUS TOLD ATC THAT 300 KTS WOULD BE OUR MAX. AFTER SWITCHOVER TO NY CENTER WE WERE CLRED TO DSND AND CROSS SOMTO INTXN AT 11000 FT. NEARING 12000 FT WE HEARD CENTER TALKING TO AN MDT BEHIND US ABOUT HIS AIRSPD. THEN ATC ASKED US FOR OUR AIRSPD. WE TOLD HIM 250 KTS AND HE STATED (NOT VERBATIM); IMMEDIATELY INCREASE TO 300 KTS, THAT WE HADN'T BEEN CLRED TO DECREASE BELOW 300 KTS, THAT WE'D ALMOST BEEN RUN OVER, AND THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO WRITE UP THIS ONE. WE IMMEDIATELY ACCELERATED TO 300 KTS AND CONTINUED TO AN UNEVENTFUL APCH AND LNDG AT KLGA. THE PF HAD SLOWED TO 250 KTS AS HE HAD UNDERSTOOD THE CLRNC TO BE 11000 FT AND 250 KTS OVER SOMTO. AS CAPT BUT PNF, I WAS NOT MONITORING AIRSPD CLOSELY AT THE TIME. I DID NOT CONSIDER 250 KTS TO BE UNUSUAL OR SLOW AS WE WERE NEARING THE NEW YORK CITY AREA AND WOULD BE SOON DSNDING BELOW 10000 FT. NOR CAN I CONFIRM THERE WAS ANY AIRSPD RESTRICTION OVER SOMTO. WASHINGTON CENTER HAD MADE THE 300 KT REQUEST AND I DIDN'T QUESTION IF NY ATC HAD CHANGED OR RESTATED A SPECIFIC AIRSPD. I DO QUESTION WHY THE ATC GND EQUIP AND PERSONNEL (ATC SYS) ALLOWED 2 ACFT TO GET SUFFICIENTLY CLOSE TO WARRANT CTLR REMARKS AS PREVIOUSLY STATED. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO OUR SLOWING TO 250 KTS WAS A CONDITIONED REACTION BY OUR OPS IN THE STL AND ORD AREAS. IN THOSE 2 AREAS, AS AT SOME OTHERS, A CLRNC TO 12000 FT IS USUALLY ACCOMPANIED BY A 250 KT AIRSPD RESTRICTION. THIS, OF COURSE, IS NO EXCUSE TO CHANGE AIRSPD ON ALL DSCNTS. WE HAVE OPERATED IN THE NE CORRIDOR BEFORE, BUT THIS OCCURRENCE POINTS OUT THAT WE MUST REMAIN EVER VIGILANT AND ALERT AT ALL TIMES AND HEIGHTEN OUR AWARENESS IN HIGH DENSITY TFC AREAS.

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.