Narrative:

This event had its beginning with ZMP and ended with ZAU. Just prior to being handed off from ZMP to ZAU we were cruising at FL330. Our destination was ord. ZMP controller asked us to slow to 250 KTS. We replied we were unable (v-min was 265 at FL330). The controller then gave us a vector off course and eventually a clearance to FL290. ZAU picked us up cruising at FL290 and gave the following clearance -- 'you are cleared to descend to FL240, start your descent now.' we selected 240 on our panel and began a normal descent using autoplt and the pms (performance management system). About 1 min later, as we were passing FL285, the controller called again and told us to 'expedite through FL280,' due to company traffic behind us at FL280 with a ground speed 60 KTS faster than ours. He did not say how close the traffic was. With only 500 ft to go until FL280, any effort on our part to 'expedite' seemed either immaterial or very serious. We were already descending at over 1500 FPM. At this point, I became concerned and angry. In strong terms I said, 'don't ever give me this kind of clearance again.' I was then asked to call ZAU upon arrival in ord. After landing, I called and spoke with a supervisor at length. He was upset with the way I spoke to his controller and said, 'it distracted him from his work.' I explained the series of events and said it certainly distracted our thoughts as well! One thing the supervisor said disturbs me: he commented that the controller did not see the widebody transport Y behind us at FL280 until after issuing our descent clearance. He said it was at the edge or limit of his sector scope. Is this a normal handoff capability? And if this was a situation serious enough to warrant an 'expedite' clearance, why wasn't it a 'descend immediately' clearance? The conflict began while under control of ZMP but ZAU had no idea a problem existed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 2 ACR WDB FREIGHTERS HAD POTENTIAL CONFLICT ON DSCNT INTO ORD.

Narrative: THIS EVENT HAD ITS BEGINNING WITH ZMP AND ENDED WITH ZAU. JUST PRIOR TO BEING HANDED OFF FROM ZMP TO ZAU WE WERE CRUISING AT FL330. OUR DEST WAS ORD. ZMP CTLR ASKED US TO SLOW TO 250 KTS. WE REPLIED WE WERE UNABLE (V-MIN WAS 265 AT FL330). THE CTLR THEN GAVE US A VECTOR OFF COURSE AND EVENTUALLY A CLRNC TO FL290. ZAU PICKED US UP CRUISING AT FL290 AND GAVE THE FOLLOWING CLRNC -- 'YOU ARE CLRED TO DSND TO FL240, START YOUR DSCNT NOW.' WE SELECTED 240 ON OUR PANEL AND BEGAN A NORMAL DSCNT USING AUTOPLT AND THE PMS (PERFORMANCE MGMNT SYS). ABOUT 1 MIN LATER, AS WE WERE PASSING FL285, THE CTLR CALLED AGAIN AND TOLD US TO 'EXPEDITE THROUGH FL280,' DUE TO COMPANY TFC BEHIND US AT FL280 WITH A GND SPD 60 KTS FASTER THAN OURS. HE DID NOT SAY HOW CLOSE THE TFC WAS. WITH ONLY 500 FT TO GO UNTIL FL280, ANY EFFORT ON OUR PART TO 'EXPEDITE' SEEMED EITHER IMMATERIAL OR VERY SERIOUS. WE WERE ALREADY DSNDING AT OVER 1500 FPM. AT THIS POINT, I BECAME CONCERNED AND ANGRY. IN STRONG TERMS I SAID, 'DON'T EVER GIVE ME THIS KIND OF CLRNC AGAIN.' I WAS THEN ASKED TO CALL ZAU UPON ARR IN ORD. AFTER LNDG, I CALLED AND SPOKE WITH A SUPVR AT LENGTH. HE WAS UPSET WITH THE WAY I SPOKE TO HIS CTLR AND SAID, 'IT DISTRACTED HIM FROM HIS WORK.' I EXPLAINED THE SERIES OF EVENTS AND SAID IT CERTAINLY DISTRACTED OUR THOUGHTS AS WELL! ONE THING THE SUPVR SAID DISTURBS ME: HE COMMENTED THAT THE CTLR DID NOT SEE THE WDB Y BEHIND US AT FL280 UNTIL AFTER ISSUING OUR DSCNT CLRNC. HE SAID IT WAS AT THE EDGE OR LIMIT OF HIS SECTOR SCOPE. IS THIS A NORMAL HDOF CAPABILITY? AND IF THIS WAS A SIT SERIOUS ENOUGH TO WARRANT AN 'EXPEDITE' CLRNC, WHY WASN'T IT A 'DSND IMMEDIATELY' CLRNC? THE CONFLICT BEGAN WHILE UNDER CTL OF ZMP BUT ZAU HAD NO IDEA A PROB EXISTED.

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.