A300 crew inbound to ewr on assigned 190 KTS speed reduced without advising ATC.

Attributes
ACN	581404
Time
Date	200305
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : dooin
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl single value : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 4r
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent : intermediate altitude other
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : private pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	581404
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Over 30 mi from newark, we were cleared direct to grity and cleared for the ILS runway 4R approach. 20-25 mi from grity, we were given a speed of 190 KTS. We were following a jet ahead of us and were observing it on our TCASII. Inside of grity and approaching dooin, I started to slow to approach speed. Approach control never told us to maintain 190 KTS or any other speed to the marker. We were closing on the aircraft in front of us and I did not want to get any closer. As I was beginning to slow the aircraft, the controller asked our speed, indicated that the aircraft behind us was closing, and told us to turn left and proceeded to give us vectors for another approach. We followed the vectors and made an eventful approach and landing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A300 CREW INBOUND TO EWR ON ASSIGNED 190 KTS SPD REDUCED WITHOUT ADVISING ATC.

Narrative: OVER 30 MI FROM NEWARK, WE WERE CLRED DIRECT TO GRITY AND CLRED FOR THE ILS RWY 4R APCH. 20-25 MI FROM GRITY, WE WERE GIVEN A SPD OF 190 KTS. WE WERE FOLLOWING A JET AHEAD OF US AND WERE OBSERVING IT ON OUR TCASII. INSIDE OF GRITY AND APCHING DOOIN, I STARTED TO SLOW TO APCH SPD. APCH CTL NEVER TOLD US TO MAINTAIN 190 KTS OR ANY OTHER SPD TO THE MARKER. WE WERE CLOSING ON THE ACFT IN FRONT OF US AND I DID NOT WANT TO GET ANY CLOSER. AS I WAS BEGINNING TO SLOW THE ACFT, THE CTLR ASKED OUR SPD, INDICATED THAT THE ACFT BEHIND US WAS CLOSING, AND TOLD US TO TURN L AND PROCEEDED TO GIVE US VECTORS FOR ANOTHER APCH. WE FOLLOWED THE VECTORS AND MADE AN EVENTFUL APCH AND LNDG.

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.