Narrative:

Flight was proceeding from cvg, cruising at FL350 at .77 mach. At the time of the event, the flight's position was approximately 85 mi east of sgf. Due to a line of WX extending from oma to okc, the flight requested and was granted FL390. Prior to the altitude request, the crew referred to and consulted the 'maximum weight to altitude chart' which stated the aircraft, under current weight and isa conditions, could safely achieve FL390. The flight climbed to FL390 without event. After arriving at FL390, the crew realized the aircraft would not accelerate, and slowly began to decelerate. The crew at once notified ZKC, requested a lower altitude. ZKC's response was that they were unable lower due to oncoming traffic. As the aircraft continued to slow over next few mins, the crew continued to make requests for a lower altitude. During 1 request, the controller said we would have to declare an emergency to get lower. A total of 5 requests were made for a lower altitude stating that we would not be able to maintain current altitude because of aircraft airspeed degradation. The crew also at this time had the TCASII set on a 20 mi range and did not display any conflicting traffic. Prior to a stall warning, we had no other choice than to start a slow turning descent to the right. Finally, center came back with an altitude assignment of FL370 ft and a turn to 360 degrees. Shortly thereafter, we received another heading change to 270 degrees and told to change to another frequency. Without further discussion, the flight continued on to destination without event. This event would not have happened if WX had not been in the area, one less airplane had not been in the vicinity or if the controller had one less aircraft to manage. On another day, at the same time, at the same place, the controller would have been glad to give the crew another altitude.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CL65-700 CREW CLBED ACFT TOO HIGH FOR THE ACFT GROSS WT, GOT ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE PWR CURVE, AND WITH SLOWING AIRSPD, HAD TO DSND TO PREVENT A STALL IN ZKC CLASS A.

Narrative: FLT WAS PROCEEDING FROM CVG, CRUISING AT FL350 AT .77 MACH. AT THE TIME OF THE EVENT, THE FLT'S POS WAS APPROX 85 MI E OF SGF. DUE TO A LINE OF WX EXTENDING FROM OMA TO OKC, THE FLT REQUESTED AND WAS GRANTED FL390. PRIOR TO THE ALT REQUEST, THE CREW REFERRED TO AND CONSULTED THE 'MAX WT TO ALT CHART' WHICH STATED THE ACFT, UNDER CURRENT WT AND ISA CONDITIONS, COULD SAFELY ACHIEVE FL390. THE FLT CLBED TO FL390 WITHOUT EVENT. AFTER ARRIVING AT FL390, THE CREW REALIZED THE ACFT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE, AND SLOWLY BEGAN TO DECELERATE. THE CREW AT ONCE NOTIFIED ZKC, REQUESTED A LOWER ALT. ZKC'S RESPONSE WAS THAT THEY WERE UNABLE LOWER DUE TO ONCOMING TFC. AS THE ACFT CONTINUED TO SLOW OVER NEXT FEW MINS, THE CREW CONTINUED TO MAKE REQUESTS FOR A LOWER ALT. DURING 1 REQUEST, THE CTLR SAID WE WOULD HAVE TO DECLARE AN EMER TO GET LOWER. A TOTAL OF 5 REQUESTS WERE MADE FOR A LOWER ALT STATING THAT WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN CURRENT ALT BECAUSE OF ACFT AIRSPD DEGRADATION. THE CREW ALSO AT THIS TIME HAD THE TCASII SET ON A 20 MI RANGE AND DID NOT DISPLAY ANY CONFLICTING TFC. PRIOR TO A STALL WARNING, WE HAD NO OTHER CHOICE THAN TO START A SLOW TURNING DSCNT TO THE R. FINALLY, CTR CAME BACK WITH AN ALT ASSIGNMENT OF FL370 FT AND A TURN TO 360 DEGS. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, WE RECEIVED ANOTHER HEADING CHANGE TO 270 DEGS AND TOLD TO CHANGE TO ANOTHER FREQ. WITHOUT FURTHER DISCUSSION, THE FLT CONTINUED ON TO DEST WITHOUT EVENT. THIS EVENT WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED IF WX HAD NOT BEEN IN THE AREA, ONE LESS AIRPLANE HAD NOT BEEN IN THE VICINITY OR IF THE CTLR HAD ONE LESS ACFT TO MANAGE. ON ANOTHER DAY, AT THE SAME TIME, AT THE SAME PLACE, THE CTLR WOULD HAVE BEEN GLAD TO GIVE THE CREW ANOTHER ALT.

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.