Narrative:

Cleared to hnl julle 4 arrival FL240. Center told us to maintain 310 KTS. Clearance given to cross julle at or below 14000 ft, maintain 10000 ft. (Julle is 29 DME hnl.) we started down on profile. Preceding aircraft told by center, 'I wanted you to maintain your heading, not join lny 278 degree radial.' at this point, we are told to 'maintain 17000.' we leveled at 17000 ft. At hnl 39 DME, I'm searching for traffic and watching first officer's DME to determine if we can still make julle below 14000 ft as center normally requests. To maintain some type of reasonable descent profile, the first officer starts slowing towards 270 KTS and I don't catch it as we near 35 DME. Center calls us and states, 'I gave you 310 KTS' followed by, 'everybody out there just do what I tell you!' I reply, 'yes sir, we're still at 17000 ft.' silence. Then, 'air carrier, descend to one-zero thousand, speed your discretion. Contact approach on 118.3.' to alleviate these problems in the future: 1) ATC should make it emphatically clear when they want an aircraft to cross an approach (or departure) radial. 2) while maintaining situational awareness, I must catch speed deviations, and correct them. Or advise center of deviation and reason -- if we can get a word in.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR DC9-51 HAD TROUBLE GETTING DOWN AND SLOWING DOWN INTO HNL. APPARENTLY THE ARTCC RADAR CTLR WAS HAVING A VERY BAD DAY.

Narrative: CLRED TO HNL JULLE 4 ARR FL240. CTR TOLD US TO MAINTAIN 310 KTS. CLRNC GIVEN TO CROSS JULLE AT OR BELOW 14000 FT, MAINTAIN 10000 FT. (JULLE IS 29 DME HNL.) WE STARTED DOWN ON PROFILE. PRECEDING ACFT TOLD BY CTR, 'I WANTED YOU TO MAINTAIN YOUR HDG, NOT JOIN LNY 278 DEG RADIAL.' AT THIS POINT, WE ARE TOLD TO 'MAINTAIN 17000.' WE LEVELED AT 17000 FT. AT HNL 39 DME, I'M SEARCHING FOR TFC AND WATCHING FO'S DME TO DETERMINE IF WE CAN STILL MAKE JULLE BELOW 14000 FT AS CTR NORMALLY REQUESTS. TO MAINTAIN SOME TYPE OF REASONABLE DSCNT PROFILE, THE FO STARTS SLOWING TOWARDS 270 KTS AND I DON'T CATCH IT AS WE NEAR 35 DME. CTR CALLS US AND STATES, 'I GAVE YOU 310 KTS' FOLLOWED BY, 'EVERYBODY OUT THERE JUST DO WHAT I TELL YOU!' I REPLY, 'YES SIR, WE'RE STILL AT 17000 FT.' SILENCE. THEN, 'ACR, DSND TO ONE-ZERO THOUSAND, SPD YOUR DISCRETION. CONTACT APCH ON 118.3.' TO ALLEVIATE THESE PROBS IN THE FUTURE: 1) ATC SHOULD MAKE IT EMPHATICALLY CLR WHEN THEY WANT AN ACFT TO CROSS AN APCH (OR DEP) RADIAL. 2) WHILE MAINTAINING SITUATIONAL AWARENESS, I MUST CATCH SPD DEVS, AND CORRECT THEM. OR ADVISE CTR OF DEV AND REASON -- IF WE CAN GET A WORD IN.

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.