Speed restr. Air carrier crew starts descent in 'mach hold' and exceeds indicated airspeed restr.

Attributes
ACN	299111
Time
Date	199503
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fim
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 25000 msl bound upper : 25000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	299111
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During cruise at FL330 we were given an airspeed to fly, 270 KTS. The first officer began the descent and began a constant mach descent instead of a constant indicated. As we got lower, ATC asked our speed, which was 290 KIAS by then. I told them our speed and we were given vectors, I presume because we were closing on traffic in front of us. We were given several vectors and asked frequently if we could make crossing restrs, but not actually given restrs. We were in a maximum rate of descent with speed brake. I was distracted at the beginning of the descent with some maintenance write-ups. Another contributing factor was not converting our cruise speed to KTS rather than mach (our indicated was 270 KIAS at FL330).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SPD RESTR. ACR CREW STARTS DSCNT IN 'MACH HOLD' AND EXCEEDS INDICATED AIRSPD RESTR.

Narrative: DURING CRUISE AT FL330 WE WERE GIVEN AN AIRSPD TO FLY, 270 KTS. THE FO BEGAN THE DSCNT AND BEGAN A CONSTANT MACH DSCNT INSTEAD OF A CONSTANT INDICATED. AS WE GOT LOWER, ATC ASKED OUR SPD, WHICH WAS 290 KIAS BY THEN. I TOLD THEM OUR SPD AND WE WERE GIVEN VECTORS, I PRESUME BECAUSE WE WERE CLOSING ON TFC IN FRONT OF US. WE WERE GIVEN SEVERAL VECTORS AND ASKED FREQUENTLY IF WE COULD MAKE XING RESTRS, BUT NOT ACTUALLY GIVEN RESTRS. WE WERE IN A MAX RATE OF DSCNT WITH SPD BRAKE. I WAS DISTRACTED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE DSCNT WITH SOME MAINT WRITE-UPS. ANOTHER CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS NOT CONVERTING OUR CRUISE SPD TO KTS RATHER THAN MACH (OUR INDICATED WAS 270 KIAS AT FL330).

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.