A320 captain extended the aircraft flaps at 300 KTS instead of the aircraft speed brakes.

Attributes
ACN	545000
Time
Date	200204
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : jvl.vortac
State Reference	WI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12845 msl bound upper : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : c90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Route In Use	arrival star : jvl
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time type : 77
ASRS Report	545000
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 141
ASRS Report	544999
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : ecam overspeed warning other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft FAA Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

While on the janesville 4 arrival into ord from about dubuque, ZAU had us keeping up our speed so they could close a gap and to comply with the crossing restrs, which was no problem at the time. The last speed assignment we were given was 300 KTS. As I (PF) recall, we were either over janesville or just east of janesville at either 15000 ft or 17000 ft, when chicago approach told us to cross krena at 7000 ft. As I was looking at the navigation display and doing some quick mental calculations, I said 'we need to get this thing down now.' while still looking at the navigation display, with my right hand I grabbed what I thought was the speed brakes to increase the drag and get the aircraft down. As soon as I started to deploy the speed brakes, we got the vmax warning. I looked at the pfd and I saw we were in the red tape. With my right hand still on the speed brake, so I thought, I looked down, and in fact had my hand on the flap handle. The flap overspd took place at 13000 ft and the airspeed was 300 KTS. The flap handle was in flaps 1 degree, for 3 or 4 seconds. I raised the flap handle and the warning was gone. We continued to ord, performed a normal landing and taxi in. Once at gate, advised maintenance and documented incident in logbook. I believe the first officer (PNF) was looking down in his flight bag for something when this occurred. The only explanation I have for my error is that I am new in the aircraft, and didn't take the necessary time to insure I had the correct handle, in my desire to comply with ZAU's request. I am sure I will not make this mistake again. Supplemental information from acn 544999: the 2 handles are near each other and are similar in size and position. Logbook write-up was made, detailing the duration, speed (300 KTS) and altitude (approximately 13000 ft) that the flap overspd occurred. Mechanic disappeared and we didn't get to brief him fully of the situation, but informed the next flight crew.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 CAPT EXTENDED THE ACFT FLAPS AT 300 KTS INSTEAD OF THE ACFT SPD BRAKES.

Narrative: WHILE ON THE JANESVILLE 4 ARR INTO ORD FROM ABOUT DUBUQUE, ZAU HAD US KEEPING UP OUR SPD SO THEY COULD CLOSE A GAP AND TO COMPLY WITH THE XING RESTRS, WHICH WAS NO PROB AT THE TIME. THE LAST SPD ASSIGNMENT WE WERE GIVEN WAS 300 KTS. AS I (PF) RECALL, WE WERE EITHER OVER JANESVILLE OR JUST E OF JANESVILLE AT EITHER 15000 FT OR 17000 FT, WHEN CHICAGO APCH TOLD US TO CROSS KRENA AT 7000 FT. AS I WAS LOOKING AT THE NAV DISPLAY AND DOING SOME QUICK MENTAL CALCULATIONS, I SAID 'WE NEED TO GET THIS THING DOWN NOW.' WHILE STILL LOOKING AT THE NAV DISPLAY, WITH MY R HAND I GRABBED WHAT I THOUGHT WAS THE SPD BRAKES TO INCREASE THE DRAG AND GET THE ACFT DOWN. AS SOON AS I STARTED TO DEPLOY THE SPD BRAKES, WE GOT THE VMAX WARNING. I LOOKED AT THE PFD AND I SAW WE WERE IN THE RED TAPE. WITH MY R HAND STILL ON THE SPD BRAKE, SO I THOUGHT, I LOOKED DOWN, AND IN FACT HAD MY HAND ON THE FLAP HANDLE. THE FLAP OVERSPD TOOK PLACE AT 13000 FT AND THE AIRSPD WAS 300 KTS. THE FLAP HANDLE WAS IN FLAPS 1 DEG, FOR 3 OR 4 SECONDS. I RAISED THE FLAP HANDLE AND THE WARNING WAS GONE. WE CONTINUED TO ORD, PERFORMED A NORMAL LNDG AND TAXI IN. ONCE AT GATE, ADVISED MAINT AND DOCUMENTED INCIDENT IN LOGBOOK. I BELIEVE THE FO (PNF) WAS LOOKING DOWN IN HIS FLT BAG FOR SOMETHING WHEN THIS OCCURRED. THE ONLY EXPLANATION I HAVE FOR MY ERROR IS THAT I AM NEW IN THE ACFT, AND DIDN'T TAKE THE NECESSARY TIME TO INSURE I HAD THE CORRECT HANDLE, IN MY DESIRE TO COMPLY WITH ZAU'S REQUEST. I AM SURE I WILL NOT MAKE THIS MISTAKE AGAIN. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 544999: THE 2 HANDLES ARE NEAR EACH OTHER AND ARE SIMILAR IN SIZE AND POS. LOGBOOK WRITE-UP WAS MADE, DETAILING THE DURATION, SPD (300 KTS) AND ALT (APPROX 13000 FT) THAT THE FLAP OVERSPD OCCURRED. MECH DISAPPEARED AND WE DIDN'T GET TO BRIEF HIM FULLY OF THE SIT, BUT INFORMED THE NEXT FLC.

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.