Narrative:

ZHU told us to maintain 300 KTS and later gave us a frequency change to another center controller. The second controller told us to cross hoagi at 11000 ft and 250 KTS. Due to the limited distance from hoagi, I started down at idle power and 300 KTS and realized I was not going to make the crossing restr without the speed brake. At idle power and 300 KTS, the speed brake results in an uncomfortably steep deck angle for the passenger and flight attendants. I selected 250 KT speed in the level change mode with the speed brake extended. We gradually slowed to 250 KTS with a comfortable deck angle and a sufficient angle of descent to make the crossing restr. ZHU asked for speed and was very upset because we had slowed down. He said we should have told him when we slowed our speed. After landing, I called the center and spoke to a supervisor who said the controller was wrong. He said when give a crossing restr with a reduced speed without any further guidance, the point of speed reduction is strictly the pilot's choice. If the controller needed the speed, he should have said, maintain 300 KTS as long as practical cross hoagi at 11000 ft and 250 KTS. Supplemental information from acn 344290: ATC called moments later to ask speed and when told, became agitated and said 'never do that -- you've got someone right behind you!' even though the frequency was congested, he went on and on, spoiling for a confrontation. Other aircraft were asking for WX deviations which was unable to approve due to workload now of his own making. Contributing factors were storm cells in vicinity of iah. Turbulence at fl. Controller was obviously overworked and lost professional demeanor at a critical juncture.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC UPSET WHEN FCU REDUCES SPD BEFORE EXPECTED.

Narrative: ZHU TOLD US TO MAINTAIN 300 KTS AND LATER GAVE US A FREQ CHANGE TO ANOTHER CTR CTLR. THE SECOND CTLR TOLD US TO CROSS HOAGI AT 11000 FT AND 250 KTS. DUE TO THE LIMITED DISTANCE FROM HOAGI, I STARTED DOWN AT IDLE PWR AND 300 KTS AND REALIZED I WAS NOT GOING TO MAKE THE XING RESTR WITHOUT THE SPD BRAKE. AT IDLE PWR AND 300 KTS, THE SPD BRAKE RESULTS IN AN UNCOMFORTABLY STEEP DECK ANGLE FOR THE PAX AND FLT ATTENDANTS. I SELECTED 250 KT SPD IN THE LEVEL CHANGE MODE WITH THE SPD BRAKE EXTENDED. WE GRADUALLY SLOWED TO 250 KTS WITH A COMFORTABLE DECK ANGLE AND A SUFFICIENT ANGLE OF DSCNT TO MAKE THE XING RESTR. ZHU ASKED FOR SPD AND WAS VERY UPSET BECAUSE WE HAD SLOWED DOWN. HE SAID WE SHOULD HAVE TOLD HIM WHEN WE SLOWED OUR SPD. AFTER LNDG, I CALLED THE CTR AND SPOKE TO A SUPVR WHO SAID THE CTLR WAS WRONG. HE SAID WHEN GIVE A XING RESTR WITH A REDUCED SPD WITHOUT ANY FURTHER GUIDANCE, THE POINT OF SPD REDUCTION IS STRICTLY THE PLT'S CHOICE. IF THE CTLR NEEDED THE SPD, HE SHOULD HAVE SAID, MAINTAIN 300 KTS AS LONG AS PRACTICAL CROSS HOAGI AT 11000 FT AND 250 KTS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 344290: ATC CALLED MOMENTS LATER TO ASK SPD AND WHEN TOLD, BECAME AGITATED AND SAID 'NEVER DO THAT -- YOU'VE GOT SOMEONE RIGHT BEHIND YOU!' EVEN THOUGH THE FREQ WAS CONGESTED, HE WENT ON AND ON, SPOILING FOR A CONFRONTATION. OTHER ACFT WERE ASKING FOR WX DEVS WHICH WAS UNABLE TO APPROVE DUE TO WORKLOAD NOW OF HIS OWN MAKING. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE STORM CELLS IN VICINITY OF IAH. TURB AT FL. CTLR WAS OBVIOUSLY OVERWORKED AND LOST PROFESSIONAL DEMEANOR AT A CRITICAL JUNCTURE.

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.