Flight crew slows aircraft for turbulence, does not notify ATC of speed change.

Attributes
ACN	545801
Time
Date	200204
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : gij.vortac
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 14000 msl bound upper : 15000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Windshear Turbulence
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	EMB ERJ 145 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 172 flight time total : 10132 flight time type : 2400
ASRS Report	545801
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to original clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While climbing out of ord, ZAU assigned us a speed of 300 KTS to climb to FL330. Through 14200 ft, center told us to level at 15000 ft. At this time we were climbing through various layers of building cumulous, encountering continuous light on the climb out. Upon leveling at 15000 ft, we encountered continuous moderate turbulence, where upon the captain brought back the power to approximately an indicated speed of 280 KIAS. Shortly thereafter, center asked for our indicated speed and I replied 280 KIAS and that we had just slowed due to turbulence, whereupon the controller replied that we needed to tell him if we needed to slow. I saw no sense in arguing with him, and as soon as we cleared the area of WX we resumed our speed. This was only momentary mind you, and I saw no traffic conflict situation. Our nearest traffic displayed on our TCASII was approximately 5 mi behind and 3000 ft above us.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC SLOWS ACFT FOR TURB, DOES NOT NOTIFY ATC OF SPD CHANGE.

Narrative: WHILE CLBING OUT OF ORD, ZAU ASSIGNED US A SPD OF 300 KTS TO CLB TO FL330. THROUGH 14200 FT, CTR TOLD US TO LEVEL AT 15000 FT. AT THIS TIME WE WERE CLBING THROUGH VARIOUS LAYERS OF BUILDING CUMULOUS, ENCOUNTERING CONTINUOUS LIGHT ON THE CLBOUT. UPON LEVELING AT 15000 FT, WE ENCOUNTERED CONTINUOUS MODERATE TURB, WHERE UPON THE CAPT BROUGHT BACK THE PWR TO APPROX AN INDICATED SPD OF 280 KIAS. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, CTR ASKED FOR OUR INDICATED SPD AND I REPLIED 280 KIAS AND THAT WE HAD JUST SLOWED DUE TO TURB, WHEREUPON THE CTLR REPLIED THAT WE NEEDED TO TELL HIM IF WE NEEDED TO SLOW. I SAW NO SENSE IN ARGUING WITH HIM, AND AS SOON AS WE CLRED THE AREA OF WX WE RESUMED OUR SPD. THIS WAS ONLY MOMENTARY MIND YOU, AND I SAW NO TFC CONFLICT SIT. OUR NEAREST TFC DISPLAYED ON OUR TCASII WAS APPROX 5 MI BEHIND AND 3000 FT ABOVE US.

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.