Narrative:

During descent into laj, prior to pgs, we were given a clearance to maintain 280 KIAS. We were subsequently handed off to the next sector which gave us a clearance to descend and maintain FL200, maintain 280 KIAS in the descent. Several mins later, we were handed off again and given a clearance to 'descend to FL200, cross 5 mi east of bummer at and maintain 13000 ft and 250 KIAS.' I then ensured the throttles were idle and increased my rate of descent to comply with the clearance. My airspeed increased to 310 KIAS, since I thought the 280 KT restr had been deleted with the clearance to 'cross 5 mi east of bummer at and maintain 13000 ft 250 KIAS.' when the controller initially issued the clearance to 'descend to FL200, cross 5 mi east of bummer at and maintain 13000 ft and 250 KIAS,' it took several iterations of readbacks and confirmations to get the clearance straight due to flying through an isolated pocket of turbulence and stepping on each other during xmissions. This appeared to anger the controller. I had been at 310 KIAS for 1-2 mins when he asked us to 'say airspeed.' he was obviously aggravated and he repeated several times that we had 'violated' our clearance and scolded us. We responded politely to him and his questions and when he handed us off to approach he stated 'no harm, no foul, contact approach on XXX.xx.' supplemental information from acn 500100: just as I was about to read the clearance back, we hit moderate turbulence and I delayed the clearance readback to do a safety related PA to seat the flight attendants. I began to read the clearance back, but the controller was already aggressively demanding that I read the clearance back. I read the clearance back but the readback was stepped on. When I finally got the readback accomplished, the controller was obviously amazed I left the frequency to get a gate assignment. As soon as I returned, the same controller demanded to know our speed in the descent. I politely explained that we had increased our speed in order to make the 5 mi earlier than expected crossing restr he issued us. He angrily informed us we were in direct violation of the 280 KT restr and in violation of far's as a result. Later, on frequency change, the controller said 'no harm, no foul.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-700 CREW HAD SPD DEV IN ZLA CLASS E AIRSPACE.

Narrative: DURING DSCNT INTO LAJ, PRIOR TO PGS, WE WERE GIVEN A CLRNC TO MAINTAIN 280 KIAS. WE WERE SUBSEQUENTLY HANDED OFF TO THE NEXT SECTOR WHICH GAVE US A CLRNC TO DSND AND MAINTAIN FL200, MAINTAIN 280 KIAS IN THE DSCNT. SEVERAL MINS LATER, WE WERE HANDED OFF AGAIN AND GIVEN A CLRNC TO 'DSND TO FL200, CROSS 5 MI E OF BUMMER AT AND MAINTAIN 13000 FT AND 250 KIAS.' I THEN ENSURED THE THROTTLES WERE IDLE AND INCREASED MY RATE OF DSCNT TO COMPLY WITH THE CLRNC. MY AIRSPD INCREASED TO 310 KIAS, SINCE I THOUGHT THE 280 KT RESTR HAD BEEN DELETED WITH THE CLRNC TO 'CROSS 5 MI E OF BUMMER AT AND MAINTAIN 13000 FT 250 KIAS.' WHEN THE CTLR INITIALLY ISSUED THE CLRNC TO 'DSND TO FL200, CROSS 5 MI E OF BUMMER AT AND MAINTAIN 13000 FT AND 250 KIAS,' IT TOOK SEVERAL ITERATIONS OF READBACKS AND CONFIRMATIONS TO GET THE CLRNC STRAIGHT DUE TO FLYING THROUGH AN ISOLATED POCKET OF TURB AND STEPPING ON EACH OTHER DURING XMISSIONS. THIS APPEARED TO ANGER THE CTLR. I HAD BEEN AT 310 KIAS FOR 1-2 MINS WHEN HE ASKED US TO 'SAY AIRSPD.' HE WAS OBVIOUSLY AGGRAVATED AND HE REPEATED SEVERAL TIMES THAT WE HAD 'VIOLATED' OUR CLRNC AND SCOLDED US. WE RESPONDED POLITELY TO HIM AND HIS QUESTIONS AND WHEN HE HANDED US OFF TO APCH HE STATED 'NO HARM, NO FOUL, CONTACT APCH ON XXX.XX.' SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 500100: JUST AS I WAS ABOUT TO READ THE CLRNC BACK, WE HIT MODERATE TURB AND I DELAYED THE CLRNC READBACK TO DO A SAFETY RELATED PA TO SEAT THE FLT ATTENDANTS. I BEGAN TO READ THE CLRNC BACK, BUT THE CTLR WAS ALREADY AGGRESSIVELY DEMANDING THAT I READ THE CLRNC BACK. I READ THE CLRNC BACK BUT THE READBACK WAS STEPPED ON. WHEN I FINALLY GOT THE READBACK ACCOMPLISHED, THE CTLR WAS OBVIOUSLY AMAZED I LEFT THE FREQ TO GET A GATE ASSIGNMENT. AS SOON AS I RETURNED, THE SAME CTLR DEMANDED TO KNOW OUR SPD IN THE DSCNT. I POLITELY EXPLAINED THAT WE HAD INCREASED OUR SPD IN ORDER TO MAKE THE 5 MI EARLIER THAN EXPECTED XING RESTR HE ISSUED US. HE ANGRILY INFORMED US WE WERE IN DIRECT VIOLATION OF THE 280 KT RESTR AND IN VIOLATION OF FAR'S AS A RESULT. LATER, ON FREQ CHANGE, THE CTLR SAID 'NO HARM, NO FOUL.'

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.