Narrative:

Event occurred on dec/thu/04 about XA00. After joining the runway 9R localizer for approach to runway 9R at atl, our spacing with the aircraft ahead seemed very close -- less than 3 mi. Approach control assigned a speed of 180 KTS to the OM. Flight conditions were below the clouds in moderate rain and at night. Wipers were needed to maintain adequate visibility, with the associated noise level being a huge distraction. Because of my concerns about being too close to our traffic ahead, at about 4 mi from the marker I slowed to 160 KTS. At about 2 mi from the marker, approach control asked us what our speed was and I told him 169 KTS, to which he replied he had assigned 180 KTS to the marker. We accelerated back to 180 KTS to the marker. The aircraft ahead cleared the runway as we passed 500 ft. On short final, we encountered significant wake turbulence (traffic was an MD80) approaching the point of destabilizing the approach. My reason for slowing below the assigned speed was my concern for being too close to the aircraft ahead. Again, from TCASII and visually it appeared less than 3 mi. Traffic was heavy and I assume approach was lining traffic up with minimum spacing. In these sits, I have in the past been 'controled' into a go around because the spacing got too close and the aircraft ahead was not able to clear the runway before my landing. I was trying to avoid this from happening.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 ON APCH TO ATL SLOWS BELOW ASSIGNED SPD.

Narrative: EVENT OCCURRED ON DEC/THU/04 ABOUT XA00. AFTER JOINING THE RWY 9R LOC FOR APCH TO RWY 9R AT ATL, OUR SPACING WITH THE ACFT AHEAD SEEMED VERY CLOSE -- LESS THAN 3 MI. APCH CTL ASSIGNED A SPD OF 180 KTS TO THE OM. FLT CONDITIONS WERE BELOW THE CLOUDS IN MODERATE RAIN AND AT NIGHT. WIPERS WERE NEEDED TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE VISIBILITY, WITH THE ASSOCIATED NOISE LEVEL BEING A HUGE DISTR. BECAUSE OF MY CONCERNS ABOUT BEING TOO CLOSE TO OUR TFC AHEAD, AT ABOUT 4 MI FROM THE MARKER I SLOWED TO 160 KTS. AT ABOUT 2 MI FROM THE MARKER, APCH CTL ASKED US WHAT OUR SPD WAS AND I TOLD HIM 169 KTS, TO WHICH HE REPLIED HE HAD ASSIGNED 180 KTS TO THE MARKER. WE ACCELERATED BACK TO 180 KTS TO THE MARKER. THE ACFT AHEAD CLRED THE RWY AS WE PASSED 500 FT. ON SHORT FINAL, WE ENCOUNTERED SIGNIFICANT WAKE TURB (TFC WAS AN MD80) APCHING THE POINT OF DESTABILIZING THE APCH. MY REASON FOR SLOWING BELOW THE ASSIGNED SPD WAS MY CONCERN FOR BEING TOO CLOSE TO THE ACFT AHEAD. AGAIN, FROM TCASII AND VISUALLY IT APPEARED LESS THAN 3 MI. TFC WAS HVY AND I ASSUME APCH WAS LINING TFC UP WITH MINIMUM SPACING. IN THESE SITS, I HAVE IN THE PAST BEEN 'CTLED' INTO A GAR BECAUSE THE SPACING GOT TOO CLOSE AND THE ACFT AHEAD WAS NOT ABLE TO CLR THE RWY BEFORE MY LNDG. I WAS TRYING TO AVOID THIS FROM HAPPENING.

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.