East-145 crew had an EICAS warning 'spoiler fail' when arriving at abe.

Attributes
ACN	585792
Time
Date	200306
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : abe.airport
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl single value : 6000
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : abe.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	EMB ERJ 145 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	585792
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : eicas spoiler fail message other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed in emergency condition other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Company
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

At approximately 6000 ft MSL while being vectored for the ILS runway 6 approach, we got the 'spoiler fail' EICAS message. The spoilers indicated that they remained closed and we did not have any reason to believe that they inadvertently opened uncommanded. However, we consulted the QRH and followed the procedure. The QRH called for a reduced flap landing (22 degrees) and to increase landing distance by a factor of 1.35. Since the landing performance, we are given for each flight is calculated using weight instead of distance, we had to contact our dispatcher in order to make the required calculations. We attempted to contact dispatch through our companies system, but were unsuccessful. We also attempted to use commercial radio, but we were probably too low. Since we were unable to have our landing distance calculated, we declared an emergency. Although we didn't have an exact landing distance calculated, we were confident the landing would be no problem. As a precaution, we asked to have emergency equipment standing by when we landed. We made an uneventfull landing and taxied to the gate with no further problems.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: E-145 CREW HAD AN EICAS WARNING 'SPOILER FAIL' WHEN ARRIVING AT ABE.

Narrative: AT APPROX 6000 FT MSL WHILE BEING VECTORED FOR THE ILS RWY 6 APCH, WE GOT THE 'SPOILER FAIL' EICAS MESSAGE. THE SPOILERS INDICATED THAT THEY REMAINED CLOSED AND WE DID NOT HAVE ANY REASON TO BELIEVE THAT THEY INADVERTENTLY OPENED UNCOMMANDED. HOWEVER, WE CONSULTED THE QRH AND FOLLOWED THE PROC. THE QRH CALLED FOR A REDUCED FLAP LNDG (22 DEGS) AND TO INCREASE LNDG DISTANCE BY A FACTOR OF 1.35. SINCE THE LNDG PERFORMANCE, WE ARE GIVEN FOR EACH FLT IS CALCULATED USING WT INSTEAD OF DISTANCE, WE HAD TO CONTACT OUR DISPATCHER IN ORDER TO MAKE THE REQUIRED CALCULATIONS. WE ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT DISPATCH THROUGH OUR COMPANIES SYS, BUT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. WE ALSO ATTEMPTED TO USE COMMERCIAL RADIO, BUT WE WERE PROBABLY TOO LOW. SINCE WE WERE UNABLE TO HAVE OUR LNDG DISTANCE CALCULATED, WE DECLARED AN EMER. ALTHOUGH WE DIDN'T HAVE AN EXACT LNDG DISTANCE CALCULATED, WE WERE CONFIDENT THE LNDG WOULD BE NO PROB. AS A PRECAUTION, WE ASKED TO HAVE EMER EQUIP STANDING BY WHEN WE LANDED. WE MADE AN UNEVENTFULL LNDG AND TAXIED TO THE GATE WITH NO FURTHER PROBS.

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.