A B737 flight crew; concerned about their altitude; initiated a decrease in airspeed to appropriate ...

Attributes
ACN	952797
Time
Date	201106
Local Time Of Day	1801-2400
Place
Locale Reference	S46.TRACON
State Reference	WA
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Initial Approach
Route In Use	STAR OLYMPIA
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Captain Pilot Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 253
Person 2
Function	Pilot Not Flying First Officer
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 260 Flight Crew Type 3800
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types Deviation - Procedural Clearance Deviation - Speed All Types

Narrative:

On downwind into sea on the olympia arrival; the arrival had us abeam the field at 7;000 ft AGL and 250 IAS heading north for a visual to 16R. Past abeam; and descending heading towards a base turn; I elected to slow to 210 IAS and call for flaps 1 and then pitch down to 220 IAS to get down because the field was VMC and we were number 2 for the visual to the field. When established at flaps 1 and 220 IAS; approach asked us our speed and we replied '220'. He then asked if 220 IAS was assigned and we said 'no.'the confusion at this part of the arrival is when to slow. The aircraft will not go down or slow down in the pattern at 250 IAS; that and we must be slower than 250 IAS to configure and/or enter the TCA. Both northbound arrivals into sea are vague on what to do and when in an attempt to get down and/or help ATC with sequencing. Next time I'll question ATC as to what they want for an IAS on the arrival/approach so there is no question between them or us as to what is expected.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737 flight crew; concerned about their altitude; initiated a decrease in airspeed to appropriate flap extension speeds so as to descend at a rate commensurate with their expected distance to touchdown. Approach Control was not expecting the reduction and queried them.

Narrative: On downwind into SEA on the OLYMPIA Arrival; the arrival had us abeam the field at 7;000 FT AGL and 250 IAS heading north for a visual to 16R. Past abeam; and descending heading towards a base turn; I elected to slow to 210 IAS and call for flaps 1 and then pitch down to 220 IAS to get down because the field was VMC and we were number 2 for the visual to the field. When established at flaps 1 and 220 IAS; Approach asked us our speed and we replied '220'. He then asked if 220 IAS was assigned and we said 'no.'The confusion at this part of the arrival is when to slow. The aircraft will not go down or slow down in the pattern at 250 IAS; that and we must be slower than 250 IAS to configure and/or enter the TCA. Both northbound arrivals into SEA are vague on what to do and when in an attempt to get down and/or help ATC with sequencing. Next time I'll question ATC as to what they want for an IAS on the arrival/approach so there is no question between them or us as to what is expected.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.

A B737 flight crew; concerned about their altitude; initiated a decrease in airspeed to appropriate flap extension speeds so as to descend at a rate commensurate with their expected distance to touchdown. Approach control was not expecting the reduction and queried them.