In an effort to slow the aircraft for the approach; a CRJ900 flight crew allowed the speed to bleed ...

Attributes
ACN	779556
Time
Date	200803
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl.airport
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl single value : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : a80.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	CRJ 900 (all) Canadair Regional Jet 900
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 255 flight time total : 8815 flight time type : 3800
ASRS Report	779556
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other anomaly
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : stick shaker other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : regained aircraft control
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was the captain of flight to atl. The PF was my first officer and we had an FAA inspector riding on the jumpseat. We were approaching atl on the flcon 3 arrival and anticipating a visual to runway 8L. Shortly after we were given a base turn off the arrival; we were also told to begin slowing. At this point; I looked down to 'sequence' the approach in the FMS and shortly thereafter heard the autoplt kick off. I looked up and was startled to see the airspeed bleeding off to around 180 KTS. Apparently; the first officer; in an effort to slow the aircraft; had deployed the spoilers and had let the speed bleed off to the point where the shaker was activated and the autoplt disengaged. I immediately took control of the aircraft and recovered the aircraft from the situation. I told the first officer to handle the radios and to respond to ATC which had called us several times during the event. We were cleared for the visual to runway 8L and we landed. Following the flight; the FAA inspector asked the first officer about his flight time and experience in the crj-900. The first officer indicated he had about 1400 hours but it was mostly in helicopters. His time in the crj was about 300 hours. I next talked with the inspector in private and he indicated he thought I did a nice job. We also discussed the problems created by the recent trend of hiring low time pilots to fly high performance aircraft like the crj.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IN AN EFFORT TO SLOW THE ACFT FOR THE APCH; A CRJ900 FLT CREW ALLOWED THE SPEED TO BLEED OFF UNTIL THE AUTOPILOT DISENGAGED AND STICK SHAKER ACTIVATED.

Narrative: I WAS THE CAPT OF FLT TO ATL. THE PF WAS MY FO AND WE HAD AN FAA INSPECTOR RIDING ON THE JUMPSEAT. WE WERE APCHING ATL ON THE FLCON 3 ARR AND ANTICIPATING A VISUAL TO RWY 8L. SHORTLY AFTER WE WERE GIVEN A BASE TURN OFF THE ARR; WE WERE ALSO TOLD TO BEGIN SLOWING. AT THIS POINT; I LOOKED DOWN TO 'SEQUENCE' THE APCH IN THE FMS AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER HEARD THE AUTOPLT KICK OFF. I LOOKED UP AND WAS STARTLED TO SEE THE AIRSPD BLEEDING OFF TO AROUND 180 KTS. APPARENTLY; THE FO; IN AN EFFORT TO SLOW THE ACFT; HAD DEPLOYED THE SPOILERS AND HAD LET THE SPEED BLEED OFF TO THE POINT WHERE THE SHAKER WAS ACTIVATED AND THE AUTOPLT DISENGAGED. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK CTL OF THE ACFT AND RECOVERED THE ACFT FROM THE SITUATION. I TOLD THE FO TO HANDLE THE RADIOS AND TO RESPOND TO ATC WHICH HAD CALLED US SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE EVENT. WE WERE CLRED FOR THE VISUAL TO RWY 8L AND WE LANDED. FOLLOWING THE FLT; THE FAA INSPECTOR ASKED THE FO ABOUT HIS FLT TIME AND EXPERIENCE IN THE CRJ-900. THE FO INDICATED HE HAD ABOUT 1400 HRS BUT IT WAS MOSTLY IN HELIS. HIS TIME IN THE CRJ WAS ABOUT 300 HRS. I NEXT TALKED WITH THE INSPECTOR IN PRIVATE AND HE INDICATED HE THOUGHT I DID A NICE JOB. WE ALSO DISCUSSED THE PROBS CREATED BY THE RECENT TREND OF HIRING LOW TIME PLTS TO FLY HIGH PERFORMANCE ACFT LIKE THE CRJ.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.

In an effort to slow the aircraft for the approach; a CRJ900 flight crew allowed the speed to bleed off until the autopilot disengaged and stick shaker activated.