Narrative:

While on approach to milan italy's malpensa airport (limc) on apr/sun/00, we encountered a confusing situation which resulted in our aircraft being over the OM for runway 35R at 200 KIAS. The controller expected us to be at 160 KIAS, as indicated on arrival information to the airport. We have landed at limc many times before, and were well aware of their airspeed restrs. (210 KTS/12 DME, 180 KTS localizer intercept, 160 KTS 7 DME.) in our approach briefing we also discussed the normal 250 KIAS limit below 10000 ft, unless waived by the controller, and the unusual practice of allowing a landing and departing aircraft on the same runway under certain conditions. At about 20 mi from the airport we were given a 180 degree turn away from the airport, then vectored back to intercept the runway 35R localizer, evidently for aircraft spacing. At this point the controller asked us our speed, we said 240 KTS. About a min later turned back toward the airport, the controller said maintain 220 KTS. By now we were thinking the controller had wanted us to keep the speed up, and mistakenly assumed he would be advising us of when to reduce our speed. Nearing the OM for runway 35R, we had slowed on our own to 200 KTS for landing. At this point, the controller asked us our speed, we said 200 KTS. The controller excitedly said we should be at 160 KTS, when over the OM. In reviewing the events later, we should have asked the controller to verify the speed he wanted us to maintain. The controller should have done his part by saying 'resume normal speed' for approach. Normally when on approach into limc, we have followed the stated (published) speed restr of 210 KTS/12 DME, 180 KTS localizer intercept, 160 KTS 7 DME without being given speeds to maintain by a controller giving us vectors for an approach.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CPR G4 EXCEEDS THE PUBLISHED APCH SPD OF 160 KTS OVER THE LOM FOR RWY 35R, 7 NM FROM LIMC, FO.

Narrative: WHILE ON APCH TO MILAN ITALY'S MALPENSA ARPT (LIMC) ON APR/SUN/00, WE ENCOUNTERED A CONFUSING SIT WHICH RESULTED IN OUR ACFT BEING OVER THE OM FOR RWY 35R AT 200 KIAS. THE CTLR EXPECTED US TO BE AT 160 KIAS, AS INDICATED ON ARR INFO TO THE ARPT. WE HAVE LANDED AT LIMC MANY TIMES BEFORE, AND WERE WELL AWARE OF THEIR AIRSPD RESTRS. (210 KTS/12 DME, 180 KTS LOC INTERCEPT, 160 KTS 7 DME.) IN OUR APCH BRIEFING WE ALSO DISCUSSED THE NORMAL 250 KIAS LIMIT BELOW 10000 FT, UNLESS WAIVED BY THE CTLR, AND THE UNUSUAL PRACTICE OF ALLOWING A LNDG AND DEPARTING ACFT ON THE SAME RWY UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS. AT ABOUT 20 MI FROM THE ARPT WE WERE GIVEN A 180 DEG TURN AWAY FROM THE ARPT, THEN VECTORED BACK TO INTERCEPT THE RWY 35R LOC, EVIDENTLY FOR ACFT SPACING. AT THIS POINT THE CTLR ASKED US OUR SPD, WE SAID 240 KTS. ABOUT A MIN LATER TURNED BACK TOWARD THE ARPT, THE CTLR SAID MAINTAIN 220 KTS. BY NOW WE WERE THINKING THE CTLR HAD WANTED US TO KEEP THE SPD UP, AND MISTAKENLY ASSUMED HE WOULD BE ADVISING US OF WHEN TO REDUCE OUR SPD. NEARING THE OM FOR RWY 35R, WE HAD SLOWED ON OUR OWN TO 200 KTS FOR LNDG. AT THIS POINT, THE CTLR ASKED US OUR SPD, WE SAID 200 KTS. THE CTLR EXCITEDLY SAID WE SHOULD BE AT 160 KTS, WHEN OVER THE OM. IN REVIEWING THE EVENTS LATER, WE SHOULD HAVE ASKED THE CTLR TO VERIFY THE SPD HE WANTED US TO MAINTAIN. THE CTLR SHOULD HAVE DONE HIS PART BY SAYING 'RESUME NORMAL SPD' FOR APCH. NORMALLY WHEN ON APCH INTO LIMC, WE HAVE FOLLOWED THE STATED (PUBLISHED) SPD RESTR OF 210 KTS/12 DME, 180 KTS LOC INTERCEPT, 160 KTS 7 DME WITHOUT BEING GIVEN SPDS TO MAINTAIN BY A CTLR GIVING US VECTORS FOR AN APCH.

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.