Overspd on descent.

Attributes
ACN	278522
Time
Date	199407
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sie
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 26000 msl bound upper : 26000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Airbus Industrie Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 20
ASRS Report	278522
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During descent, the controller issued us a clearance to cross an intersection which caused us to have to descend at our maximum rate. I selected vertical speed mode from the flight guidance system out of FL330. Later during the descent, the overspd warning sounded just as the first officer made a transmission to center. The controller made a comment about the warning in the backgnd. I immediately slowed the descent, slowed to below vmo and the event was over in a matter of a few seconds. Now here is my point, this was my first 'solo' in the highly computerized airbus. It has protections for everything, but no protection for this particular mode. Why? Perhaps it would be better in the ground schools to teach what the airplane is not protected from than what it is protected from.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: OVERSPD ON DSCNT.

Narrative: DURING DSCNT, THE CTLR ISSUED US A CLRNC TO CROSS AN INTXN WHICH CAUSED US TO HAVE TO DSND AT OUR MAX RATE. I SELECTED VERT SPD MODE FROM THE FLT GUIDANCE SYS OUT OF FL330. LATER DURING THE DSCNT, THE OVERSPD WARNING SOUNDED JUST AS THE FO MADE A XMISSION TO CTR. THE CTLR MADE A COMMENT ABOUT THE WARNING IN THE BACKGND. I IMMEDIATELY SLOWED THE DSCNT, SLOWED TO BELOW VMO AND THE EVENT WAS OVER IN A MATTER OF A FEW SECONDS. NOW HERE IS MY POINT, THIS WAS MY FIRST 'SOLO' IN THE HIGHLY COMPUTERIZED AIRBUS. IT HAS PROTECTIONS FOR EVERYTHING, BUT NO PROTECTION FOR THIS PARTICULAR MODE. WHY? PERHAPS IT WOULD BE BETTER IN THE GND SCHOOLS TO TEACH WHAT THE AIRPLANE IS NOT PROTECTED FROM THAN WHAT IT IS PROTECTED FROM.

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.