Narrative:

I was PNF flying the norwich into bos. We had reached our clearance limit inndy, but were unable to establish contact with bos approach due to frequency saturation. While attempting contact with approach, I did not immediately notice that the PF had slowed to 250 KTS. We had been assigned 300 KTS by center. I did not challenge the speed reduction because I was concerned about our lack of assigned heading and airspeed past the clearance limit for the arrival. I know now that this was a mistake and this was annunciated loud and clear by the approach controller when we finally established contact. Some reduction in separation had occurred with the aircraft behind us. Supplemental information from acn 500916: on the norwich 2 arrival, we reached inndy (our clearance limit) without a vector as we (the crew) recall. The approach controller was tied up with a GA IFR aircraft asking who, what, and where on him. Our last assigned speed from the previous controller was 310 KTS or better. I elected to slow down from 315 KTS to 250 KTS in anticipation of being slam-dunked. The captain did not object. Within 2 mins we caught the attention of the approach controller. He told in trail 'slow immediately to 250 KTS' and told us 'descend to 8000 ft.' we landed normally and so did the rj. Lesson learned: don't slow down till told to do so.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLC ON NORWICH STAR INBOUND TO BOS, EXPECTING A CLOSE TURN IN, REDUCED FROM ZBW ASSIGNED SPD. ACTION CAUSED A90 REACTION FOR FOLLOWING TFC.

Narrative: I WAS PNF FLYING THE NORWICH INTO BOS. WE HAD REACHED OUR CLRNC LIMIT INNDY, BUT WERE UNABLE TO ESTABLISH CONTACT WITH BOS APCH DUE TO FREQ SATURATION. WHILE ATTEMPTING CONTACT WITH APCH, I DID NOT IMMEDIATELY NOTICE THAT THE PF HAD SLOWED TO 250 KTS. WE HAD BEEN ASSIGNED 300 KTS BY CTR. I DID NOT CHALLENGE THE SPD REDUCTION BECAUSE I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT OUR LACK OF ASSIGNED HDG AND AIRSPD PAST THE CLRNC LIMIT FOR THE ARR. I KNOW NOW THAT THIS WAS A MISTAKE AND THIS WAS ANNUNCIATED LOUD AND CLR BY THE APCH CTLR WHEN WE FINALLY ESTABLISHED CONTACT. SOME REDUCTION IN SEPARATION HAD OCCURRED WITH THE ACFT BEHIND US. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 500916: ON THE NORWICH 2 ARR, WE REACHED INNDY (OUR CLRNC LIMIT) WITHOUT A VECTOR AS WE (THE CREW) RECALL. THE APCH CTLR WAS TIED UP WITH A GA IFR ACFT ASKING WHO, WHAT, AND WHERE ON HIM. OUR LAST ASSIGNED SPD FROM THE PREVIOUS CTLR WAS 310 KTS OR BETTER. I ELECTED TO SLOW DOWN FROM 315 KTS TO 250 KTS IN ANTICIPATION OF BEING SLAM-DUNKED. THE CAPT DID NOT OBJECT. WITHIN 2 MINS WE CAUGHT THE ATTN OF THE APCH CTLR. HE TOLD IN TRAIL 'SLOW IMMEDIATELY TO 250 KTS' AND TOLD US 'DSND TO 8000 FT.' WE LANDED NORMALLY AND SO DID THE RJ. LESSON LEARNED: DON'T SLOW DOWN TILL TOLD TO DO SO.

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.