An A320 crew, while on approach to pdx, exceeded assigned airspeed.

Attributes
ACN	517888
Time
Date	200107
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pdx.airport
State Reference	OR
Altitude	msl single value : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : p80.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival star : mill
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Route In Use	approach : visual
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 11500 flight time type : 1626
ASRS Report	517888
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : warning bell and lights other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	aircraft : automation overrode flight crew flight crew : returned to assigned airspace
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flap overspd event during descent. Over the paper mill on autoflt (autoplt 1/autothrottle), we had flaps 2 degrees selected, and assigned speed of 180 KTS. We had forgotten to activate and confirm approach phase in mcdu. Aircraft went to 203 KTS for 4 seconds with emergency warning bell and lights and ECAM. Autoplt was disconnected, captain flying. Pitched up to relieve speed error. Event occurred as we were turning over the paper mill to a heading of 240 degrees. We realized the error and immediately activated and confirmed mcdu. The rest of the flight was uneventful and smooth landing. Both pilots were fatigued and error prone due to flight during window of circadian low (wocl). Captain's body time was XA30 and copilot's was XB30. Situation time in san francisco was 1 hour 30 mins, which added to our fatigue. We had gone to managed speed before activating and confirming which was due to alertness deterioration and excessive focus on overall safety of flight. We attempted to use automation as a safety measure and ultimately had to rely on good old stick and rudder flying skills to do the job. A maintenance write-up was placed in the logbook and we debriefed the ways we could prevent this from occurring in the future.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A320 CREW, WHILE ON APCH TO PDX, EXCEEDED ASSIGNED AIRSPD.

Narrative: FLAP OVERSPD EVENT DURING DSCNT. OVER THE PAPER MILL ON AUTOFLT (AUTOPLT 1/AUTOTHROTTLE), WE HAD FLAPS 2 DEGS SELECTED, AND ASSIGNED SPD OF 180 KTS. WE HAD FORGOTTEN TO ACTIVATE AND CONFIRM APCH PHASE IN MCDU. ACFT WENT TO 203 KTS FOR 4 SECONDS WITH EMER WARNING BELL AND LIGHTS AND ECAM. AUTOPLT WAS DISCONNECTED, CAPT FLYING. PITCHED UP TO RELIEVE SPD ERROR. EVENT OCCURRED AS WE WERE TURNING OVER THE PAPER MILL TO A HDG OF 240 DEGS. WE REALIZED THE ERROR AND IMMEDIATELY ACTIVATED AND CONFIRMED MCDU. THE REST OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL AND SMOOTH LNDG. BOTH PLTS WERE FATIGUED AND ERROR PRONE DUE TO FLT DURING WINDOW OF CIRCADIAN LOW (WOCL). CAPT'S BODY TIME WAS XA30 AND COPLT'S WAS XB30. SIT TIME IN SAN FRANCISCO WAS 1 HR 30 MINS, WHICH ADDED TO OUR FATIGUE. WE HAD GONE TO MANAGED SPD BEFORE ACTIVATING AND CONFIRMING WHICH WAS DUE TO ALERTNESS DETERIORATION AND EXCESSIVE FOCUS ON OVERALL SAFETY OF FLT. WE ATTEMPTED TO USE AUTOMATION AS A SAFETY MEASURE AND ULTIMATELY HAD TO RELY ON GOOD OLD STICK AND RUDDER FLYING SKILLS TO DO THE JOB. A MAINT WRITE-UP WAS PLACED IN THE LOGBOOK AND WE DEBRIEFED THE WAYS WE COULD PREVENT THIS FROM OCCURRING IN THE FUTURE.

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.