Narrative:

Before descending below 10000 ft, the crew had the perception that as long as we were 12 mi from shore we were not restr to 250 KTS. However, we became concerned when the approach controller asked our speed. At that time we were approximately 20 mi sse of jfk descending through 5000 ft on a heading of 040 degrees with no assigned speed restr. We reported 300 KTS slowing to 250 KTS. The controller said we were following a b- 747 and he was increasing his speed from 180 KTS to 210 KTS. No spacing problems were ever mentioned by the controller nor did we sense any. We did not receive any instructions to slow any further. We did receive normal headings toward the airport for a normal landing. The B-747 was rolling out on runway 31R as we came across the OM. After landing, we took a closer look at our flight path. We now feel we may have been inside the 12 mi line from the nj shore. I followed up my concern even further. I spoke to various people in our flight department about our speed. Although all of them but 2 felt it was legal to fly over 250 KTS below 10000 ft when outside the 12 mi shore limit, no one, including myself, could find where this was written. These individuals were line pilots as well as others in flight training, flight standards and flight safety. Most of them are going to research it further and get back to me. Meanwhile, I plan to fly 250 KTS below 10000 ft unless I can read it for myself that I can legally do other wise or be legally cleared by ATC to do otherwise. Once again, I don't believe we created a problem for ny approach and if we did, I'm truly sorry. With this letter as notice, I'm asking my company to clarify this speed question and get it to our flcs. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states flight operations contacted the TRACON and they indicated there was no problem with the speed, they were just checking to maintain separation. Flight safety officers in the company and one training officer all agreed that outside the 12 mi limit speed was not restr. When reporter asked to see this in writing, no one could help him find it. In checking our analysts it was found that there was an far 91.70 at one time which states exactly that information. The 250 KT speed limit was applicable for the continental united states. That far is no longer in existence. It appears to have been replaced by far 91.117. Company is going to distribute this information within the company.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT CARGO ACR EXCEEDS 250 KTS BELOW 10000 FT AND WITHIN THE CLASS B AIRSPACE.

Narrative: BEFORE DSNDING BELOW 10000 FT, THE CREW HAD THE PERCEPTION THAT AS LONG AS WE WERE 12 MI FROM SHORE WE WERE NOT RESTR TO 250 KTS. HOWEVER, WE BECAME CONCERNED WHEN THE APCH CTLR ASKED OUR SPD. AT THAT TIME WE WERE APPROX 20 MI SSE OF JFK DSNDING THROUGH 5000 FT ON A HDG OF 040 DEGS WITH NO ASSIGNED SPD RESTR. WE RPTED 300 KTS SLOWING TO 250 KTS. THE CTLR SAID WE WERE FOLLOWING A B- 747 AND HE WAS INCREASING HIS SPD FROM 180 KTS TO 210 KTS. NO SPACING PROBS WERE EVER MENTIONED BY THE CTLR NOR DID WE SENSE ANY. WE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY INSTRUCTIONS TO SLOW ANY FURTHER. WE DID RECEIVE NORMAL HDGS TOWARD THE ARPT FOR A NORMAL LNDG. THE B-747 WAS ROLLING OUT ON RWY 31R AS WE CAME ACROSS THE OM. AFTER LNDG, WE TOOK A CLOSER LOOK AT OUR FLT PATH. WE NOW FEEL WE MAY HAVE BEEN INSIDE THE 12 MI LINE FROM THE NJ SHORE. I FOLLOWED UP MY CONCERN EVEN FURTHER. I SPOKE TO VARIOUS PEOPLE IN OUR FLT DEPT ABOUT OUR SPD. ALTHOUGH ALL OF THEM BUT 2 FELT IT WAS LEGAL TO FLY OVER 250 KTS BELOW 10000 FT WHEN OUTSIDE THE 12 MI SHORE LIMIT, NO ONE, INCLUDING MYSELF, COULD FIND WHERE THIS WAS WRITTEN. THESE INDIVIDUALS WERE LINE PLTS AS WELL AS OTHERS IN FLT TRAINING, FLT STANDARDS AND FLT SAFETY. MOST OF THEM ARE GOING TO RESEARCH IT FURTHER AND GET BACK TO ME. MEANWHILE, I PLAN TO FLY 250 KTS BELOW 10000 FT UNLESS I CAN READ IT FOR MYSELF THAT I CAN LEGALLY DO OTHER WISE OR BE LEGALLY CLRED BY ATC TO DO OTHERWISE. ONCE AGAIN, I DON'T BELIEVE WE CREATED A PROB FOR NY APCH AND IF WE DID, I'M TRULY SORRY. WITH THIS LETTER AS NOTICE, I'M ASKING MY COMPANY TO CLARIFY THIS SPD QUESTION AND GET IT TO OUR FLCS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES FLT OPS CONTACTED THE TRACON AND THEY INDICATED THERE WAS NO PROB WITH THE SPD, THEY WERE JUST CHKING TO MAINTAIN SEPARATION. FLT SAFETY OFFICERS IN THE COMPANY AND ONE TRAINING OFFICER ALL AGREED THAT OUTSIDE THE 12 MI LIMIT SPD WAS NOT RESTR. WHEN RPTR ASKED TO SEE THIS IN WRITING, NO ONE COULD HELP HIM FIND IT. IN CHKING OUR ANALYSTS IT WAS FOUND THAT THERE WAS AN FAR 91.70 AT ONE TIME WHICH STATES EXACTLY THAT INFO. THE 250 KT SPD LIMIT WAS APPLICABLE FOR THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES. THAT FAR IS NO LONGER IN EXISTENCE. IT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN REPLACED BY FAR 91.117. COMPANY IS GOING TO DISTRIBUTE THIS INFO WITHIN THE COMPANY.

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.