Narrative:

Traffic backing up during approach. Runway 3C closed. WX somewhat worse than expected (ceiling, visibility and icing conditions). Air carrier X being slowed somewhat below the usual approach speeds, and in steps that came in quicker succession than usual, and most dscnts included a request to get there quickly. As we turned on final, ATC reported light ice at 3000 ft. The aircraft ahead of us was 2 1/2 - 3 mi observed on TCASII. We were told to 'continue' by local. We encountered moderate rime ice, and had to go to flaps landing (40 degrees) in order to have sufficient bleed air to anti-ice the airplane. That caused us to lose 20 KTS, which I was trying to recover. The aircraft behind us was at least 2 1/2 mi (not observed on TCASII). Local questioned our speed, bawled us out, and lost his temper. We did not argue back. He immediately had the airplane behind miss the approach. We had been assigned 160 KTS, and were to hold it to the final approach fix. At about 2 mi outside the final approach fix at about 3400 ft MSL, we went to landing flaps, and the airspeed bleed off to 140 KIAS. The TCASII showed the aircraft ahead to be closer than the one behind, and at only 1 mi outside the final approach fix, I didn't think the change in our speed would be significant. As we landed, the aircraft ahead was just clearing the high speed exit, and the aircraft behind had already missed. The next aircraft landed 2 mins 35 seconds later. We received our landing clearance just prior to touchdown, and we were also preparing to miss. My feeling is that traffic was bunching up, due to WX worse than expected, icing conditions, and a closed runway. Traffic ahead was being vectored for spacing and 2 aircraft had to miss, and we almost did, too. The controllers were doing the best they could, but were becoming loaded and stressed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X UNAUTH SPD REDUCTION ON FINAL APCH CAUSED ACFT GAR.

Narrative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

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.