<< >> NASA ASRS Report 368106, May 1997

Flight crew declared an emergency and descended when unable to hold sufficient airspeed to prevent stalling during high altitude holding.

Attributes
ACN	368106
Time
Date	199705
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ewr
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-10 10
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	other other : other pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 2500 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	368106
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Told to hold at FL350 with DC10-10, heavy at 370000 pounds. Initial turn into holding (nonstandard on 210 degree radial, 20 DME legs) was uneventful. Return to radial turn with wind at our back (approximately 350 degrees at 130 KTS). The aircraft began to slow and buffet, began in last half of turn (approximately 120 degree heading -- 030 degree heading). Aircraft slowed from approximately 240 KTS to approximately 200 KTS before we declared an emergency to descend out of FL350. Slats were extended at approximately 210-220 KTS, maximum power was applied below 240 KTS, no improvements. Suspect strong tailwind on second half of turn made impact somehow on performance at altitude. Regained airspeed at FL340 and leveled off at FL330. Rest of trip was uneventful.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC DECLARED AN EMER AND DSNDED WHEN UNABLE TO HOLD SUFFICIENT AIRSPD TO PREVENT STALLING DURING HIGH ALT HOLDING.

Narrative: TOLD TO HOLD AT FL350 WITH DC10-10, HVY AT 370000 LBS. INITIAL TURN INTO HOLDING (NONSTANDARD ON 210 DEG RADIAL, 20 DME LEGS) WAS UNEVENTFUL. RETURN TO RADIAL TURN WITH WIND AT OUR BACK (APPROX 350 DEGS AT 130 KTS). THE ACFT BEGAN TO SLOW AND BUFFET, BEGAN IN LAST HALF OF TURN (APPROX 120 DEG HDG -- 030 DEG HDG). ACFT SLOWED FROM APPROX 240 KTS TO APPROX 200 KTS BEFORE WE DECLARED AN EMER TO DSND OUT OF FL350. SLATS WERE EXTENDED AT APPROX 210-220 KTS, MAX PWR WAS APPLIED BELOW 240 KTS, NO IMPROVEMENTS. SUSPECT STRONG TAILWIND ON SECOND HALF OF TURN MADE IMPACT SOMEHOW ON PERFORMANCE AT ALT. REGAINED AIRSPD AT FL340 AND LEVELED OFF AT FL330. REST OF TRIP WAS UNEVENTFUL.

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.