An MD80 crew was unable to comply with a clearance to climb the remaining 300 ft to FL330 in 1 min and required a vector by a ZAB controller to avoid traffic.

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Attributes
ACN	573758
Time
Date	200302
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phx.airport
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 32700 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab.artcc
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : phx.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other other vortac
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	573758
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : separated traffic flight crew : regained aircraft control
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Climbing through FL327 on our way to FL330 with a 300-400 FPM climb, ZAB asked us to be at FL330 in 1 min, which we said we could do. Immediately thereafter, the speed decayed to the point that I was unsure that we could maintain the altitude we were at, much less climb the additional 300 ft. The controller gave us a 40 degree right turn due to conflicting traffic. After being established on the new heading, the speed increased slowly and after being cleared to abq VOR, I was able to climb the aircraft to FL330. We were in VMC, in smooth air, during the entire time of the event. The aircraft was not overweight for FL330 and up to the event, we had been climbing at mach .75 to mach 76. I can not explain the loss of airspeed, but I probably should not have accepted the time to climb request.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 CREW WAS UNABLE TO COMPLY WITH A CLRNC TO CLB THE REMAINING 300 FT TO FL330 IN 1 MIN AND REQUIRED A VECTOR BY A ZAB CTLR TO AVOID TFC.

Narrative: CLBING THROUGH FL327 ON OUR WAY TO FL330 WITH A 300-400 FPM CLB, ZAB ASKED US TO BE AT FL330 IN 1 MIN, WHICH WE SAID WE COULD DO. IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER, THE SPD DECAYED TO THE POINT THAT I WAS UNSURE THAT WE COULD MAINTAIN THE ALT WE WERE AT, MUCH LESS CLB THE ADDITIONAL 300 FT. THE CTLR GAVE US A 40 DEG R TURN DUE TO CONFLICTING TFC. AFTER BEING ESTABLISHED ON THE NEW HDG, THE SPD INCREASED SLOWLY AND AFTER BEING CLRED TO ABQ VOR, I WAS ABLE TO CLB THE ACFT TO FL330. WE WERE IN VMC, IN SMOOTH AIR, DURING THE ENTIRE TIME OF THE EVENT. THE ACFT WAS NOT OVERWT FOR FL330 AND UP TO THE EVENT, WE HAD BEEN CLBING AT MACH .75 TO MACH 76. I CAN NOT EXPLAIN THE LOSS OF AIRSPD, BUT I PROBABLY SHOULD NOT HAVE ACCEPTED THE TIME TO CLB REQUEST.

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.