Atx on final approach overtook the first aircraft resulting in less than standard separation.

Attributes
ACN	123167
Time
Date	198909
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dca tower : dca tower : fll
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Medium Transport
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	123167
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 15000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Air carrier X was on final approach at washington national airport (lda-DME 18), and was instructed to maintain speed 170 KTS until 5 DME. Atx Y was same, 4 mi in trail. It appeared that air carrier X did not follow ATC instructions, regarding airspeed restriction, and slowed prematurely. Air carrier X was frequency changed to tower at 10 DME, minimum IFR separation was lost at approximately 6 DME from runway 18. Final controller (who is responsible for final approach separation) called local controller to take air carrier X off final to ensure separation. Local refused, separation lost, atx Y taken off final and resequenced.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATX ON FINAL APCH OVERTOOK THE FIRST ACFT RESULTING IN LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION.

Narrative: ACR X WAS ON FINAL APCH AT WASHINGTON NATIONAL ARPT (LDA-DME 18), AND WAS INSTRUCTED TO MAINTAIN SPEED 170 KTS UNTIL 5 DME. ATX Y WAS SAME, 4 MI IN TRAIL. IT APPEARED THAT ACR X DID NOT FOLLOW ATC INSTRUCTIONS, REGARDING AIRSPEED RESTRICTION, AND SLOWED PREMATURELY. ACR X WAS FREQ CHANGED TO TWR AT 10 DME, MINIMUM IFR SEPARATION WAS LOST AT APPROX 6 DME FROM RWY 18. FINAL CTLR (WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR FINAL APCH SEPARATION) CALLED LCL CTLR TO TAKE ACR X OFF FINAL TO ENSURE SEPARATION. LCL REFUSED, SEPARATION LOST, ATX Y TAKEN OFF FINAL AND RESEQUENCED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.