An alleged airspeed violation by an MD88 flight crew descending into orf, va.

Attributes
ACN	485610
Time
Date	200009
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : orf.airport
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1800 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : orf.tracon tower : orf.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : vacating altitude
Route In Use	approach : visual approach : traffic pattern arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50
ASRS Report	485610
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Weather Flight Crew Human Performance Airport
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

During en route descent into orf area, the ATIS advised winds 170 degrees at 10 KTS gusting to 17 KTS and landing runway 5. I (the captain) asked for runway 23 as with the winds reported on ATIS we would have a 9 KT tailwind component if we landed on runway 5. When we switched over to final approach (tower), the controller asked if we could accept runway 5 instead of runway 23 to help out with their operation. He stated the winds were 180 degrees at 9 KTS with no gust reported for last 45 mins. We agreed to runway 5 while at 3000 ft MSL left downwind to runway 23 at 250 KIAS. We were asked to do a left 270 degree turn to facilitate realignment to runway 5 and descend to 1600 ft MSL for the turn. Neither pilot can remember for sure but we believe we slowed to 160 KIAS before descending into class D airspace. If anything, we may have exceeded the 200 KIAS airspeed limit momentarily. The rest of the approach was otherwise uneventful.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ALLEGED AIRSPD VIOLATION BY AN MD88 FLC DSNDING INTO ORF, VA.

Narrative: DURING ENRTE DSCNT INTO ORF AREA, THE ATIS ADVISED WINDS 170 DEGS AT 10 KTS GUSTING TO 17 KTS AND LNDG RWY 5. I (THE CAPT) ASKED FOR RWY 23 AS WITH THE WINDS RPTED ON ATIS WE WOULD HAVE A 9 KT TAILWIND COMPONENT IF WE LANDED ON RWY 5. WHEN WE SWITCHED OVER TO FINAL APCH (TWR), THE CTLR ASKED IF WE COULD ACCEPT RWY 5 INSTEAD OF RWY 23 TO HELP OUT WITH THEIR OP. HE STATED THE WINDS WERE 180 DEGS AT 9 KTS WITH NO GUST RPTED FOR LAST 45 MINS. WE AGREED TO RWY 5 WHILE AT 3000 FT MSL L DOWNWIND TO RWY 23 AT 250 KIAS. WE WERE ASKED TO DO A L 270 DEG TURN TO FACILITATE REALIGNMENT TO RWY 5 AND DSND TO 1600 FT MSL FOR THE TURN. NEITHER PLT CAN REMEMBER FOR SURE BUT WE BELIEVE WE SLOWED TO 160 KIAS BEFORE DSNDING INTO CLASS D AIRSPACE. IF ANYTHING, WE MAY HAVE EXCEEDED THE 200 KIAS AIRSPD LIMIT MOMENTARILY. THE REST OF THE APCH WAS OTHERWISE 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.