Air carrier X issued speed restr contrary to controller handbook.

Attributes
ACN	281288
Time
Date	199408
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : smo
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax tower : cmi
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	281288
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Flying the sadde arrival to lax (fillmore VOR OTS), were given vectors to intercept the 261 degree radial into santa monica. I was at 10000 ft approaching the coast (turn-in point) when approach said, 'you have a jetstream(?) at 11 O'clock and your altitude.' the first officer said, 'we have traffic.' approach said, 'maintain visual separation.' I took control of the radio and said, 'we do not have the jetstream, but we have another aircraft. (This was a 737 on the gorman departure at 9000 ft.) approach said, 'there are no other aircraft there.' approach then told us that we were clear of traffic. During our descent into lax, we were given a speed of 150 KTS, which is contrary to the air traffic controller's handbook. The ATC system has exceeded its capacity to handle traffic. They are now resorting to improper/illegal procedures to force the system. It is only a matter of time before we have a serious incident/accident of particular concern, the clearance to 'maintain visual separation' while on vectors for a published instrument arrival.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X ISSUED SPD RESTR CONTRARY TO CTLR HANDBOOK.

Narrative: FLYING THE SADDE ARR TO LAX (FILLMORE VOR OTS), WERE GIVEN VECTORS TO INTERCEPT THE 261 DEG RADIAL INTO SANTA MONICA. I WAS AT 10000 FT APCHING THE COAST (TURN-IN POINT) WHEN APCH SAID, 'YOU HAVE A JETSTREAM(?) AT 11 O'CLOCK AND YOUR ALT.' THE FO SAID, 'WE HAVE TFC.' APCH SAID, 'MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION.' I TOOK CTL OF THE RADIO AND SAID, 'WE DO NOT HAVE THE JETSTREAM, BUT WE HAVE ANOTHER ACFT. (THIS WAS A 737 ON THE GORMAN DEP AT 9000 FT.) APCH SAID, 'THERE ARE NO OTHER ACFT THERE.' APCH THEN TOLD US THAT WE WERE CLR OF TFC. DURING OUR DSCNT INTO LAX, WE WERE GIVEN A SPD OF 150 KTS, WHICH IS CONTRARY TO THE AIR TFC CTLR'S HANDBOOK. THE ATC SYS HAS EXCEEDED ITS CAPACITY TO HANDLE TFC. THEY ARE NOW RESORTING TO IMPROPER/ILLEGAL PROCS TO FORCE THE SYS. IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE WE HAVE A SERIOUS INCIDENT/ACCIDENT OF PARTICULAR CONCERN, THE CLRNC TO 'MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION' WHILE ON VECTORS FOR A PUBLISHED INST ARR.

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.