B737 on final to stl is questioned by ATC regarding the non compliance with assigned speed.

Attributes
ACN	634618
Time
Date	200410
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : stl.airport
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl single value : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : stl.tower tower : smf.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	634618
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were on a visual approach and told to keep 170 KTS to the marker. We were about 1 mi or so from the marker and slowed down because we were high from approach and had to configure to make the required approach window and had to slow below 170 KTS about a mi before the marker and when we switched to the tower, the tower asked our speed and we told them 150 KTS (about .5 mi from marker) and he seemed upset. We were high and had to slow to get configured for the approach. We were in the window and landed uneventfully. The tower asked us about our clearance. No traffic went around and we were within all parameters by the company procedures but had to slow in order to configure since we were high on approach from the vector we received.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 ON FINAL TO STL IS QUESTIONED BY ATC REGARDING THE NON COMPLIANCE WITH ASSIGNED SPD.

Narrative: WE WERE ON A VISUAL APCH AND TOLD TO KEEP 170 KTS TO THE MARKER. WE WERE ABOUT 1 MI OR SO FROM THE MARKER AND SLOWED DOWN BECAUSE WE WERE HIGH FROM APCH AND HAD TO CONFIGURE TO MAKE THE REQUIRED APCH WINDOW AND HAD TO SLOW BELOW 170 KTS ABOUT A MI BEFORE THE MARKER AND WHEN WE SWITCHED TO THE TWR, THE TWR ASKED OUR SPD AND WE TOLD THEM 150 KTS (ABOUT .5 MI FROM MARKER) AND HE SEEMED UPSET. WE WERE HIGH AND HAD TO SLOW TO GET CONFIGURED FOR THE APCH. WE WERE IN THE WINDOW AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. THE TWR ASKED US ABOUT OUR CLRNC. NO TFC WENT AROUND AND WE WERE WITHIN ALL PARAMETERS BY THE COMPANY PROCS BUT HAD TO SLOW IN ORDER TO CONFIGURE SINCE WE WERE HIGH ON APCH FROM THE VECTOR WE RECEIVED.

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.