Aircraft equipment problem jammed spoiler handle.

Attributes
ACN	296217
Time
Date	199502
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : aew airport : mia
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 16000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zma artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : 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 : 150 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	296217
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 5010 flight time type : 2100
ASRS Report	297681
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Aircraft was given a descent clearance and a vector to intercept the fll 042 degree radial. This radial was not part of the heatt arrival and the controller was questioned when radio contact permitted. We were cleared direct heatt and given a new altitude restr that required use of drag devices. The first officer attempted to deploy spoilers and the handle was jammed. We attempted to inform the controller we were unable to make the restr. The controller went from aircraft to aircraft with clrncs and the crew was unable to make contact until we were past heatt and had missed the altitude. We tried to squawk 7600 to get the controller's attention and dialed in 7500 in error. The controller made no reference until the crew later asked if the squawk was observed. We informed mia approach of what was intended. We then requested the full length of runway 27L because of the jammed spoiler handle. We were told on landing to call ZMA regarding the flight. The jammed spoiler handle was the result of improper maintenance procedure at the prior station. This caused the altitude deviation, but the crew experienced some frustration because we were unable to contact the controller in the descent. Controllers need to allow breaks in their xmissions for aircraft to contact them.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT EQUIP PROB JAMMED SPOILER HANDLE.

Narrative: ACFT WAS GIVEN A DSCNT CLRNC AND A VECTOR TO INTERCEPT THE FLL 042 DEG RADIAL. THIS RADIAL WAS NOT PART OF THE HEATT ARR AND THE CTLR WAS QUESTIONED WHEN RADIO CONTACT PERMITTED. WE WERE CLRED DIRECT HEATT AND GIVEN A NEW ALT RESTR THAT REQUIRED USE OF DRAG DEVICES. THE FO ATTEMPTED TO DEPLOY SPOILERS AND THE HANDLE WAS JAMMED. WE ATTEMPTED TO INFORM THE CTLR WE WERE UNABLE TO MAKE THE RESTR. THE CTLR WENT FROM ACFT TO ACFT WITH CLRNCS AND THE CREW WAS UNABLE TO MAKE CONTACT UNTIL WE WERE PAST HEATT AND HAD MISSED THE ALT. WE TRIED TO SQUAWK 7600 TO GET THE CTLR'S ATTN AND DIALED IN 7500 IN ERROR. THE CTLR MADE NO REF UNTIL THE CREW LATER ASKED IF THE SQUAWK WAS OBSERVED. WE INFORMED MIA APCH OF WHAT WAS INTENDED. WE THEN REQUESTED THE FULL LENGTH OF RWY 27L BECAUSE OF THE JAMMED SPOILER HANDLE. WE WERE TOLD ON LNDG TO CALL ZMA REGARDING THE FLT. THE JAMMED SPOILER HANDLE WAS THE RESULT OF IMPROPER MAINT PROC AT THE PRIOR STATION. THIS CAUSED THE ALTDEV, BUT THE CREW EXPERIENCED SOME FRUSTRATION BECAUSE WE WERE UNABLE TO CONTACT THE CTLR IN THE DSCNT. CTLRS NEED TO ALLOW BREAKS IN THEIR XMISSIONS FOR ACFT TO CONTACT THEM.

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.